Double Play
by The Create Card
Summary: An old enemy has been reconfigured and wants revenge! What happens when he creates a clone of a DigiDestined? Can he use the clone to get him into the real world? The night ends in Part 10. Get your Kleenex for this one.
1. A Rose's Thorn

Author's Note: Before I move on to Digimon: The College Years (hopefully giving the third season time to finish up in Japan), I decided I have ONE more story to tell. It's a quick adventure story and somewhere along the way (towards the end), it'll answer a question that Takari fans have been demanding of me since "Keeping Secrets". How did TK and Kari break up?

  


Summary: TK, Kari, Davis, and Ken are all in the middle of their senior year of high school. Not only that, but Senior Prom is coming up too. But something's happened in the Digital World. It was an inevitability, given the nature of Digimon, but for it to happen now was certainly unexpected. An evil villain has been reconfigured…and once he finds a way into the real world, he'll be ready to take over…and get his revenge.

  


**Double Play: Part 1**

  


Many years had passed since he was first defeated. He once thought himself to be unstoppable. Then he ran into a group of meddling kids. When he first saw them, he scoffed. The thought of him being beaten by children was laughable. The biggest threat to his evil was CHILDREN? It had to be a joke.

But in the end, it turned out to be no joke. Those kids were a force to be reckoned with and their Digimon were extremely powerful. They had to be. They were powerful enough to defeat him all those years ago. His only saving grace was the fact that no Digimon ever truly dies. They are only reconfigured. It was only a matter of time.

Yes, he could not die. He could only be contained. But the children known as DigiDestined could not contain him. And thus he was reconfigured. Now…the time was here for him to once again pick up where he left off. But this time…he would not be stopped. For now, he had a new goal set.

As he wandered through a hidden cave in the depths of the Digital World, he set out to find a way to accomplish his new task. Going through with his plan wouldn't be easy, especially since he initially had nothing to work with. The disadvantage of returning reconfigured was the fact that his old resources were lost to him.

But just when it looked like this would be another wasted day, he looked out into the lavish Digital World…and saw two humans walking by, holding hands. Only certain humans could get into the Digital World. They had to be DigiDestined. And they appeared to be Japanese DigiDestined. Just the ones he was waiting for.

It took him a while to recognize the boy in the white hat, but he knew exactly who it was. It was TK Takaishi, the whiny little crybaby from days past. To his credit, the kid had grown up and appeared to have changed quite a bit since he first encountered him all those years ago. But it took a little longer to recognize the girl he was with. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. It was the eighth child, that annoying Tai kid's little sister, Kari Kamiya. She had grown up quite a bit as well and looked to be blossoming into a young woman.

This would have been the perfect time to pounce on them. They would have NEVER expected to see him again. And without their Digimon at their side, it would have been SO easy to dispose of them once and for all. But acting on his impulses wouldn't be sensible. He had a much greater plan in mind and if he took those two out now, the plan would never see the light of day.

So he'd let them be for now. They could go ahead and enjoy their time together now. They could go ahead and laugh, play, and have fun. They could cherish the time they spend together.

Because if HE had his way, their time would soon be up.

* * *

Seventeen-year-old Kari Kamiya blushed again as she inched closer to TK. Years had passed since they first got together and they were some of the happiest years of Kari's life. And this was just another in a series of wonderful days that the young couple were spending alone together.

"This was a really great idea, TK," Kari beamed. "I wonder why we didn't think of it before. A nice, quiet walk through the Digital World."

"I know what you mean," TK smiled back. "I'm amazed that Davis actually thought of it."

Kari giggled. He had a good point. There was one constant that remained over the years. Davis Motomiya was still one of their biggest supporters, which was really surprising, considering that Davis had a crush on Kari for so many years in the past. Not only was Davis fine with seeing Kari and TK get together, but he was more than happy for them. As time went on, Davis would only support their relationship more. And every time she thought about it, Kari admired Davis's maturity more and more. It was something no one expected of him.

After what felt like hours of walking, Kari and TK both sat down on a green lot of grass around a flower patch. Kari looked up at the blue sky and marveled at the Digital World's beauty.

TK looked up as well. "Kari……have you thought about prom?"

That question caught Kari by surprise. "It IS coming up, isn't it?"

"Have you thought about who you're going with?"

Kari giggled and playfully punched TK on the arm. "What kind of question is that, TK? You know I wouldn't think of going with anyone else."

TK smirked. "I know. I just had to hear it again for myself."

Kari raised an eyebrow. "That's an uncharacteristic show of ego."

"What can I say? I've been hanging around Davis too long."

Kari smiled and looked over at a red rose. "Oh…this one looks beautiful." She reached over to pick the flower…and ended up pricking her finger on one of its thorns. "OW! That was sharp!"

TK sat up. "Something wrong?"

Kari examined her finger. When she saw a few drops of blood fall to the ground, she quickly covered it. "Those roses have pretty sharp thorns. I might need a bandage when we get back."

"Well…why don't we go back right now?" TK suggested. "I'll buy you lunch."

Kari nodded. "Sounds good."

TK stood up and took Kari's healthier hand, bringing her to her feet. Once she was up, Kari went back to squeezing her wounded finger.

As she walked away with TK, she knew she would have to get a bandage for it when she got back home. And it wouldn't be long. Home was only a download away.

* * *

The warm scene only served to make him sick. Those two looked like…they were in love. And that brought a queasy feeling to his stomach. But while watching their nauseating scene, he noticed the girl prick her finger on one of the roses. He couldn't argue that the roses were sharp and he wasn't surprised that she cut her finger with their thorns. But he also saw his first big break.

Seeing his opportunity, he finally came out of hiding and walked out into the open. He slowly walked over to the lot of grass where the two DigiDestined were sitting. And he looked down to see a small piece of stained grass, where Kari's blood landed. He kneeled down and scooped up the stained blades of grass, which were quickly absorbing Kari's blood.

He may not have had his old resources, but he knew one technique he could use. He was reconfigured just long enough to learn about how Arukenimon and Mummymon were made of DNA and data. HE would go one step further.

However, this would take quite a bit of time.

* * *

Now that they were back in the real world, TK and Kari were outside a nearby restaurant. They were sitting on one of the outside tables sharing a submarine sandwich. For some reason, TK just couldn't take his eyes off Kari. Even after all these years, she still captivated him.

TK couldn't remember WHEN he started to notice Kari in a new light. Maybe it was the day she was pulled into the Dark Ocean for the first time. Maybe it was the day they both helped fight off the evil MaloMyotismon. Or maybe it was around the time that Davis started taking HIS crush on Kari to a more extreme level. Perhaps it was true that competition made him realize his true feelings for her.*****

The one thing that worried TK the most was losing Kari. It was his greatest fear. And occasionally, he could even be insecure. That was the real reason why he asked her who she was going to prom with, even though he knew the answer. If he ever lost Kari, he would just die.

TK kept staring at Kari as he repeatedly sipped on his soda. It was like he was in a trance. But he was quickly knocked out of it when TK and Kari suddenly got a visitor.

"Hey! How's the happy couple?"

TK raised his head and snapped out of his trance. He looked up to see seventeen-year-old Davis Motomiya with a warm smile on his face.

"We're doing great, Davis!" Kari said cheerfully.

"You two thinking about prom?" Davis asked.

TK went back to his soda and suddenly went into deep thought. There was something that just felt…wrong about this whole thing.

"TK and I can't wait," Kari smiled. "And I have the perfect dress in mind."

"I know a place that rents great tuxes," Davis suggested. "I'll take you there if you want, TK."

"Oh…thanks, Davis. We'll talk later about it."

"Great! If everything goes like I hope it does, then this'll be the BEST night of your lives! I'll see you guys later!"

Kari waved cheerfully. "Bye, Davis!"

TK wasn't smiling. Something was bothering him.

Kari saw the look on her boyfriend's face and grew concerned. "What's wrong, TK?"

"Kari…have you noticed Davis is ready to go all out just for us?"

"Yeah. That's really sweet of him."

"I'm not saying it isn't sweet. But…is DAVIS taking anyone to prom?"

"Hmm…last I checked, he didn't have a date. And when I asked him, he said it didn't matter. He said all that mattered was that you and I had the best night of our lives."

"I'm beginning to think it's about time he started thinking about himself for once. Kari…we owe Davis big time for everything he's done for us. I wish we could find him a date."

"Sometimes nice guys get a bad break," Kari sighed. "I can't help but feel sorry for him. But everyone we know is taken."

"What about Yolei?"

Kari smirked. "Ken FINALLY got the guts to ask her to be HIS prom date."

TK chuckled. "It's about time."

"That was MY only idea," Kari muttered.

"Well, I'm not ready to give up hope yet," TK, holder of the Crest of Hope, said. "When Davis takes me to get my tux, I'll be on the lookout for a prom date."

"You do that, TK," Kari nodded.

"I will," TK confirmed. He took another bite out of the sandwich as he put it down. "Well, I'm stuffed. Why do they make submarine sandwiches so big?"

Kari shook her head. "Those crazy Americans. Only one of them could come up with the concept of a giant hero sandwich."

TK picked up the sandwich. "Well, let's take this hero to go."

Kari beamed. "Ok. Let's go, hero."

TK blushed. He unwittingly left himself wide open for that compliment. He had to bring Kari to this place more often. He reached over to hold her hand again, but Kari quickly pulled it away.

"Ouch! My finger!"

"Does it feel any better?"

"Not really. I'm still feeling those sharp thorns."

TK and Kari started walking off as Kari continued to rub her finger painfully. TK would have to get her a bandage ASAP.

* * *

The time was here. It took him days to prepare it, but now it was time for the first phase of his plan. The gloomy cave was the perfect environment for such an experiment. After extracting Kari's blood from the grass (and keeping any and all of the grass's cells out), he was ready to make his new creation.

No, he wasn't making another like Arukenimon or Mummymon. But he decided to use the concept of combining DNA and digital date to make another creation. A creation that would work to succeed in bringing him into the real world.

He looked on as he saw the drops of blood and data combine to create…

…a perfect clone.

The clone emerged from the darkness, looking very familiar. Not only did she wear a familiar set of clothes, but she looked around with a familiar curiosity. She looked like she didn't know what to make of her surroundings.

"W-Where am I?" the clone asked. "I…feel like I remember so much…yet it feels like I'm just opening my eyes for the first time."

This would be where his evil genius would come in. Now was the time to make sure this clone was on his side. He stepped out of the darkness to reveal himself.

She gasped. "W-Who are you?"

"I'm the one who saved you," he said. "You don't remember anything…do you?"

The clone sat down and curled up. "I…I…have so many memories flowing. Yet…I can't recognize any of them. It's all a blank. And I'm looking around…feeling solid objects, seeing things I feel like I've never seen, speaking words I feel like I've never spoken before…it feels like I…was just born."

"It's much worse than I thought," he said. "Do you know you are?"

The clone looked down. "I…don't know. Who am I?"

"Your name…is Kari Kamiya."

The clone of Kari Kamiya looked up, her eyes looking so emotional. "K-Kari? T-That name sounds so familiar. Is that my name?"

"That's right. And you don't remember what happened. Your friends took you into the Digital World…and once you all got there, you were all attacked. But in order to escape…they all sacrificed you without a second thought! They left you for dead! And I was the only one there to save your life. You would be dead if it wasn't for me."

"You look so familiar!" Kari's clone exclaimed. "Who are you?!"

"I am your friend. I am the one who's taken you in and cared for you while you made your recovery. And I am the one who can help you get revenge on your ex-friends for trying to kill you!

"I am…Etemon!"

  


Next Time: The villain in question is indeed the evil Etemon. And there's much more that he will add to his fabricated story in order to turn Kari's clone against the DigiDestined. Come back next time to see how the story will unfold!

  


***** - See "His Is A Wonderful Life"

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	2. A Day In The Life Of A Clone

Last Time: A reconfigured Etemon pondered the ways he could gain his revenge on his old enemies, the DigiDestined. As he looked on, though, he saw TK and Kari walking through the Digital World. When Kari pricked herself on a rose, Etemon saw his chance and quickly scooped up the loose blood sample. As TK and Kari prepare for their senior prom, Etemon uses the blood sample to create…a clone.

  


**Double Play: Part 2**

  


A little more than three weeks had passed since she found herself living inside the quaint little cave in the Digital World, but by now the old cave was starting to feel like home to her. And that felt nice, considering she couldn't remember far back enough to remember where her REAL home was. But from what she was told of her past, maybe it was best she didn't remember. Besides, she was perfectly happy with the way things were.

She still remembered that day a few weeks ago, opening her eyes for what seemed like the first time. Her memory had been completely scrambled. After the first few hours, she started to believe she had amnesia. Everything was such a blur to her and the years before that day was nothing more than a blank. Her whole life prior to that moment was just a blank. She didn't know about anything. She wasn't even sure about her own name. Then he reminded her who she was.

She was Kari Kamiya.

Yes, she was Kari Kamiya. And that was all she could remember about herself. Luckily, she had someone who was caring enough to fill her in on what happened.

She had no idea where she'd be without Etemon. He was the first one she saw when she opened her eyes and he was the first one to help refresh her memory. It was all still a blank to her, but she trusted Etemon. He had given her a home and taken her in. Why would he lie to her?

Kari thought about that as she did her daily chores. Sure Etemon had taken her in, but she still had to pull her weight around the cave. And she felt like she owed it to him anyway. He saved her life. And Kari didn't think she would EVER be able to repay him. Especially not with such simple chores.

One of her main chores was to go out into the vast Digital World and seek out spare parts for Etemon's machines. He was in the midst of busy construction on what looked like a large stage. And Kari was helping out by finding some spare parts from whatever was out there. One thing about the Digital World was that there were certainly plenty of resources available.

Kari was coming with her hands full again, as she usually did. But she saw something right by a tree. It was a large apple that had fallen down. And as if on cue, Kari's stomach started to growl. Feeling a little hungry, Kari put the supplies down and walked over to pick up the apple. But as she bent down to pick it up, something walked up to her and shoved her down.

Kari looked up to see what looked like a tree creature, his body looking to be made of a tree. And he looked very hostile. Kari hadn't run into many Digimon while she did her chores, but when she did, they all let her be. But this one didn't look happy at all.

"A rotten human," the Digimon snarled. "Coming in MY space, are you?"

Kari backtracked, stumbling to get to her feet. "I-I-I'm sorry. I'll leave."

"Too late for that! You made me mad! And you won't like making a Woodmon mad!"

Woodmon started rushing for Kari. The girl could only scream and turn the other way to run. She managed to evade this hostile Digimon for a while, but when she ran into a dead end of rocks and boulders, she found herself stuck. Woodmon had her cornered.

"I've got you now, you lousy human!"

Kari closed her eyes, fully expecting this to be the end. She figured that her luck had run out. She may have been saved all those weeks ago, but it looked like this was truly it.

"Back off!"

Kari opened her eyes and saw that someone DID come to her rescue. He came out of nowhere and landed between Kari and Woodmon. Kari was more than grateful. He had come to her aid again. The mighty monkey in sunglasses.

Etemon was here to save her…again.

Etemon shot Woodmon a cold stare and pointed at Kari. "She's off limits! Get away or else!"

"And what if I don't?" Woodmon growled defiantly.

Etemon clenched his fists. "Then you leave me no choice but to teach you a lesson. I'll have to teach you who the king is."

Woodmon took that challenge and attacked. "Woody Smasher"

Woodmon struck and Etemon fell down. Concern immediately flowed through Kari, but Etemon didn't look like he would be down for long. In fact, he got right back up.

Woodmon moved in again. "Maybe you didn't learn. Woody Smasher!"

Etemon used his superior speed to leap up before Woodmon's attack. He landed right behind Woodmon. As the stump monster turned around, Etemon tossed him into the rocks. As he dug himself out, Etemon attacked.

"Monkey Claw!"

Etemon struck with furious vengeance, striking with his huge claw. Woodmon couldn't fight back and was instantly deleted. Kari looked on in shock as Woodmon pixilated, fading away before her very eyes. One minute, this hostile Digimon was looking to kill her. The next, he was gone…thanks to Etemon. Kari rushed to the big monkey and threw her arms around him. She was practically in tears.

"You saved me…again," Kari smiled. "Thank you, Etemon!"

Etemon nodded. "Nobody lays a hand on MY Kari! Anyone who does meets their end at my hand! Are you all right?"

"I feel great! Especially now that you're here!"

"That's great to hear. So tell me what happened. What made that Woodmon go chasing you?"

"I was hungry, so I just went to pick up an apple. I don't know why he got so mad."

"Doesn't matter. He's gone now. So how are your chores going, Kari?"

Kari pointed out towards the distance. "I had a lot of supplies that I left on the ground. They should be a lot of help for your giant stage-thingy…whatever it is. Hey Etemon, what IS that stage for anyway?"

Etemon paused before answering. "Why…uh…I told you, Kari. It's just a little pet project of mine. Hopefully when I finish building it, I can use it to…um…SING to a large audience!"

Kari giggled. "You? Sing? Etemon, you don't sing, do you?"

Etemon was seemingly taken aback by the question. "I suppose I HAVEN'T told you. But ol' Etemon is a GREAT singer! The best the Digital World has to offer!"

Kari frowned. "You never sang to me before."

"That's because I don't do private shows," Etemon replied a little sourly. "My singing is to be appreciated by the public at large!" He looked at Kari and grimaced. He must have noticed the look of doubt on her face. "Come on, Kari. Let's get those supplies and go home. I can tell you everything about my amazing singing voice."

"Well, ok. I left everything over there."

Kari led the way and Etemon followed her. She didn't know what to make of his claim of being a great singer. In all the weeks she'd known him, he hadn't ever sung. So she was a little skeptical.

Still, even if he couldn't sing, Etemon was the best thing to ever happen to Kari Kamiya. He took her in when she was left for dead. She would even go as far to say…Etemon was like a father to her.

* * *

Night had fallen in the Digital World and Kari was getting ready to go to sleep. One disadvantage to living in this cave alone with Etemon was that she was confined to only one pair of clothes. So she found herself sleeping in the same shirt and yellow shorts every night.

Kari lay herself down on the ground and rested her head on the patch of leaves she used for a pillow every night. She didn't have a blanket, but nights hardly ever got cold in this part of the Digital World, so she didn't mind. She was ready to close her eyes, but when she saw someone walking by with some tools, Kari decided to call her caretaker over.

"Etemon?"

Etemon stopped and walked over. "Kari, you know it's passed your bedtime."

Kari sat up. "Etemon…can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing. What is it?"

"Tell me again about my old friends who abandoned me."

Etemon shook his head. "Why, Kari, I told you all about those nasty people. They obviously were no friends of yours."

"But tell me again what happened," Kari insisted. "I…well…everything's still a blank to me. And…maybe it'll help me remember my past a little better."

Etemon sat beside Kari. "Well, ok, I'll tell you everything I saw that day. You were all wandering through the Digital World. It was you and seven others. And I saw you all walking from up a tree. I found it a little unusual, since human beings aren't a common sight here in the Digital World. But I couldn't help but notice how YOU were being treated.

"There was a girl in jeans and a t-shirt. Looked like a total tomboy. Her name was Sora and she wasn't even paying attention to you that day. She was just going on and on about…uh…about her soccer game.

"There was the little brown-haired nerd that always traveled with you. His name was Izzy. And he wasn't paying attention to you, either. Instead, he was just wandering around with his nose in his computer. He didn't even know you were alive.

"There was the badly-dressed, blue-haired guy in a vest named Joe. And he didn't notice you at all. He could only ramble on, complaining about how long the walk was. He looked like he loved to complain, that Joe did.

"Then there was the spoiled girl, wearing a fashionable dress and hat. Her name was Mimi and she didn't know you were around. All she could do was keep going on about what a bad hair day she was having.

"And speaking of hair, there was the blond-haired boy who used enough hair gel to last any normal human being a million years. That was Matt and he couldn't stop fiddling with his harmonica. Needless to say, he didn't see YOU around.

"But then there was the poofy brown-haired kid named Tai."

"You…said he was my brother, right?" Kari asked.

"Yes, he was your brother," Etemon continued. "And I didn't like the way he was looking at you. The look on his face was one of jealousy. It didn't look like he cared for you one bit. What disturbs me is that it didn't look like he was the only one with malicious intentions. I also saw…him.

"He was the blond with the white hat named TK. He DID notice you that day. He actually had his arm across your shoulder. Why, I even think I heard him say 'I love you'. But as soon as your back was turned, he just shot you a look that could kill anyone else. What broke my heart was that you didn't even see it coming."

Kari knew it wasn't easy, but she needed to hear it again. "Tell me again what happened, Etemon."

Etemon took a deep breath. "Well…the eight of you were coming across a bridge, at least 25 feet above a river. I still remember that smile you had on your face, one that could melt anyone's heart. You didn't have a care in the world. Then I saw your friends, who didn't even know you were alive. And I saw your brother and TK…who looked like they were about to try something. And they did.

"I don't know why they did what they did, but Tai and TK waited until you were looking across the cliff, admiring the scenery. That's when I saw Tai and TK walk towards a nearby tree. They pulled one of its braches back and slingshot it so it hit you right in the back. The impact sent you falling off the cliff.

"I saw Tai look down as you fell off the cliff. He just shrugged uncaringly and said, 'Goodbye, sis! Looks like I won't have to worry about you anymore.'

"Mimi turned around and asked, 'Did you get rid of what's-her-name?' TK was the one that turned around and said, 'Yeah, she's finally gone. And if anyone asks, we'll say it was a tragic accident.' And everyone just continued on their way, not even bothering to look back. Even your Digimon partner didn't look back. None of them even cared that they had just abandoned their friend to die.

"I, on the other hand, felt COMPASSION! After they all left, I immediately jumped down from the tree and snapped a vine from its leaves. I tossed the vine off the cliff and climbed down. When I got to the bottom, I saw you unconscious on the ground. I checked your pulse and you were still alive. But it didn't look like you had much time. So I lifted you over my shoulder and brought you back to this cave…until that day you finally came to."

The tears were now flowing freely. It got more difficult to hear that story every time. Kari couldn't believe anyone could be so cruel. Especially to her.

"I hope I never see them again," Kari cried.

"Well…I'm sure you won't," Etemon said comfortingly. "Just go to sleep, Kari. Try to forget all about those nasty ex-friends of yours."

Kari hugged Etemon again. "Thank you again for saving me, Etemon."

"Kari, don't even give it a second thought. I did what I had to do and I'd gladly do it again. Now just get some sleep. I've still got some work to do."

"Ok, good night, Etemon."

Etemon walked out and Kari laid back and closed her eyes. But in her mind, she couldn't help but think about those who abandoned her. And she couldn't stop thinking about her brother…who set her up to die. She could only wonder why.

* * *

Etemon looked back one more time to see the sleeping girl. And an evil smirk spread across his face. She had bought his story COMPLETELY. He couldn't believe how much she had fallen for it. But then again, it was easy to manipulate the mind of a clone.

Much time had passed since Etemon first created that clone of Kari Kamiya. Since that day, Etemon had fully gained her trust and won her over. She was completely on his side now. And that was the biggest key to his plan; an even bigger key than his reconstructed stage. With a cloned Kari on his side, he would not only infiltrate the real world, but also destroy his old enemies, the meddling DigiDestined.

But make no mistake about it. For Etemon's plan to work, luck still had to play its part. He would have to wait until one of them came back into the Digital World. And when that happened…

…the real fun would begin.

  


Next Time: TK and the real Kari take another walk in the Digital World. Will Etemon be waiting? And what does he have in store?

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	3. A Sinister Switcharoo

Last Time: We took a look into a day in the life of the cloned Kari Kamiya. From doing daily chores, to running from the occasional hostile Digimon, she basically lives a normal life in the Digital World with her caretaker…Etemon. What she doesn't know is that Etemon is playing her like a total fool, using her only for his malicious intentions.

  


**Double Play: Part 3**

  


With another few days having passed, Etemon made his way into one of the more lush areas of the Digital World, seeking out more of the resources he needed. With the clone out doing different chores for him, Etemon was on his own looking for new supplies. But it wouldn't be long. Not only was his stage almost finished, but he had recruited some Gazimon to help him rebuild it. It would just take a few more supplies and days of the Gazimons' hard labor and he and his stage would both be good to go.

There was a stubborn stone that wouldn't come out of the ground, no matter how much Etemon pulled on it. It proved to be an exercise in frustration and futility. But it also proved to be a blessing in disguise, because as he struggled to pull the stone out, he began to hear voices coming from the distance.

"TK…stop! That tickles!"

Etemon recognized that voice. It sounded like…Kari Kamiya, the REAL Kari Kamiya. And obviously, her boyfriend TK was with her. It looked like they had come back to the Digital World to take another stroll. It was all so sudden, but the time to put the next phase of his plan into action was here.

Forgetting about the stubborn stone, Etemon walked towards a nearby bush. He peeked over to see Kari and TK…heading towards a bridge that overlooked a 25-foot cliff. Things couldn't have been more perfect. So now came the time for Etemon to do what he had to do.

* * *

Kari was just taking another leisurely stroll along with TK. With the end of senior year and Senior Prom rapidly approaching, both of them needed to take a break. And there was no better place to forget their worries than the Digital World. And Kari was having a good time. She giggled again as TK brushed a blade of grass by her ear.

"TK, I'm warning you," Kari teased. "Cut that out."

TK pulled the blade of grass back and kissed Kari on the cheek. "Ok, fine. Be that way." He held up the picnic basket. "You want to set up over here?"

Kari pointed towards a tree that provided plenty of shade. "Over there's good."

TK walked over and set the blanket up by the tree. He put the picnic basket down and everything was ready. TK kneeled down and patted on an empty space, reserved especially for Kari. Kari walked out of the heat and sat down on the empty space. As soon as she sat down, TK started tickling her ear with that blade of grass again.

Kari immediately knocked TK over and started tickling him furiously. And thus, a day of fun had begun.

* * *

Etemon immediately headed back towards his cave. But luck had played its part again, because as the ultimate-level Digimon was running, he ran into just the person he was seeking. He found the clone of Kari Kamiya.

"Etemon? Is something wrong?"

The time was here for Etemon to put on the best acting job he possibly could. Everything would depend on this performance. He just hoped this clone was as gullible as he thought she was.

Etemon began his act. "Kari…I've been thinking about this for so long now and…it's difficult for me…but I've come to a decision. I believe…it's time for you to go home."

The clone blinked. "Um…back to the cave?"

Etemon shook his head. "No, Kari. To your REAL home. Back to the real world…with your family."

The clone looked confused. "But Etemon…they tried to kill me! I CAN'T go back!"

"Kari, I know it's difficult. But you can't stay here. You don't belong here. This isn't your real home. You need to go back with your mother and father…as hard as it may sound."

"But Etemon…didn't my brother try to kill me?"

The crafty Etemon realized that he may have put one too many holes into his fabricated story. This wouldn't be easy, but he would think of something. After all, there weren't many others in the Digital World as intelligent as he. And sure enough, Etemon knew how to dodge this bullet.

"Kari, your brother would NEVER try to kill you…in broad daylight in the real world. Too many witnesses, you know. In fact, he'll try to make it seem as if nothing happened. So the best thing you can do is NOT mention it at all! If you DO say something, then he may try to finish you off once and for all."

"But Etemon…I don't want to leave you," the clone said timidly.

Etemon soon saw the next flaw in his façade. The clone had become attached to him. But that wasn't a bad thing. In fact, that could work to his advantage. Etemon was prepared for such a situation and handed Kari a handheld electronic device.

"Always keep this with you," Etemon instructed. "This communicator will allow us to keep in touch through e-mail. If you ever need anything, just send me a quick e-mail. And I'll be sure to stay in touch."

The clone still looked skeptical. "Etemon…are you sure about this? I'm…scared."

"Don't be afraid, Kari. Just go back to your world and go on as if nothing happened."

"But…does that mean…they're just going to get away with what they did?" she asked indignantly. "They tried to kill me and now we're just going back to life as if nothing ever happened? That just feels so…wrong!"

"You make a very good point," Etemon replied. "That's why when the time comes…I'll give you a call through that communicator. Once everything is ready…I'll be ready to teach those so-called friends of yours a lesson they'll never forget!"

The clone wasn't sure what that meant, but she smirked anyway. "What do you have in mind?"

"That's a surprise," Etemon grinned. "Now go on, Kari. As much as I hate to let you go…it's time for you to go back home."

"But how?" the clone asked curiously. "How do I get back? I don't even remember how I got here."

"One of…THEM is looking for you," Etemon pointed out. "Your so-called boyfriend has come looking for you."

"Even AFTER he tried to have me killed?" the clone growled.

"He probably wants to bring you back to cover the tracks," Etemon lied. "So you'd better head back to the bottom of the cliff where he left you so he won't suspect anything."

The clone looked back. She looked so confused, but ready to do whatever she was told. So she took a step back, but quickly turned around to give Etemon one last hug.

"I'm gonna miss you!" she cried.

Etemon tried to push her off. She was wasting valuable time. "Yeah, yeah, I'll miss you, too. Kari, you've got to go! There isn't much time!"

The clone finally broke the hug and started running, without looking back. It looked like the clone understood what needed to be done. So she just kept on running, heading in the direction of the path that would lead her to the bottom of the cliff.

If Etemon could pull this next part of his plan off successfully, then the clone would infiltrate the real world. Of course, there was one minor risk. When he created the clone, her memory came out VERY fuzzy. And while that gave Etemon the golden opportunity to manipulate her mind, it could also draw suspicion from among the other DigiDestined. Of course, Etemon wasn't TOO worried. After all, it had only been about eight or nine years. How much could have possibly changed in that time?

As he thought about that, the Machiavellian monkey headed the other way, back to where the real Kari and TK were spending the day. It was time for the next part of his plan to be implemented.

* * *

Kari was starting to get stuffed. After about four sandwiches, she didn't think she could take another bite. TK, on the other hand, was on his sixth sandwich.

"You done already, Kari?" TK asked.

Kari nodded. "I really should watch my figure."

"Oh come on, Kari," TK scoffed. "You look beautiful." Then he smirked. "Well…you COULD stand to lose a little weight."

Kari threw the rest of her sandwich at TK.

"Hey, I'm just joking," TK grinned. "I really think you ARE beautiful just the way you are."

Kari blushed when she heard that compliment. In fact, she was starting to feel rather flushed, so she got up for a little fresh air. She walked over towards the cliffside. And that's where she saw the most breathtaking view she had ever seen. Kari was in awe.

"It's so amazing!"

Kari was completely distracted by the beautiful view. She was SO distracted…that she was completely unaware of her surroundings.

* * *

TK took another bite out of his sandwich. Kari was standing pretty close to the cliff and was obviously getting a great view. It must have been pretty refreshing. In fact, he started to get the idea of walking over to join her. But before he did, he took one more sip of his punch. Unfortunately, that one hesitation was all it took for tragedy to strike.

A long branch from a nearby tree suddenly came flying out of nowhere and struck Kari in the back…sending her flying off the cliff. TK looked on in horror.

"KARI!!"

TK scrambled to his feet and ran over towards the end of the cliff. He looked down to look for any signs of Kari, but there were none. The river was right below and TK was beginning to think she might have fallen in. Already, TK was sweating profusely. He loved Kari more than anything. It couldn't have all come to an end so suddenly…and so tragically.

TK wasn't ready to abandon hope yet. There had to be a way down that cliff. He looked around everywhere for something that could get him down there. But there seemed to be nothing. It was a long way down and there looked to be no way for TK to get down there. Then he got an idea. He ran over to the tree and pulled out a very long vine, cutting it off at one end with a trusty Swiss army knife.

One of the vines was now tied to the tree and the other end was tied to TK's waist. He inched towards the cliff and started climbing down, being careful as he was surrounded by jagged rocks. But TK was willing to risk jagged rocks and falling to his death…to find Kari. She just HAD to be ok.

TK wanted to go faster, but if he did, he might snap the vine and plummet to the ground while bouncing off the jagged rocks. This had to be done carefully, no matter how badly TK wanted to get to the bottom quickly. So he was careful as he lowered himself down, knowing he would be down there soon.

He just HAD to find Kari. She HAD to be down there. If she wasn't alive…TK would have nothing to live for.

* * *

TK finally made it down, after what felt like an agonizing eternity. He looked in every direction looking for any signs of life.

"KARI!! KARI!!"

There was no answer. TK was answered by tormenting silence. The young boy was in tears now. He didn't cry often anymore, but he couldn't help it. The love of his life was gone. She was nowhere to be found. But there was still a feeling that she was still alive. TK was beginning to think that she fell into the river and it carried her away. He was prepared to do the drastic thing and go down the river looking for her. But suddenly…

…he found her.

"Kari?"

TK saw her walking his way. It was Kari…and she looked around with a dazed look on her face. He quickly rushed over to her and gave the biggest hug he could give her.

"I'm so glad you're alive!"

Kari returned the hug…but stayed silent momentarily. Finally, she broke the long silence.

"Is that you……………TK?"

TK nodded. Then he examined Kari. There seemed to be absolutely NO signs of any bumps or bruises…which had to be the strangest thing he had ever seen, because Kari took a LONG fall.

"Kari…are you all right?"

Kari nodded slowly. "I feel fine…TK. It's just…my head."

TK embraced Kari's head. "Your head? Are you feeling ok?"

"I…I just need to go home," she said with a tone of uncertainty.

TK nodded. "I'll get you home. You want to use your Digivice or should I?"

"Digivice?" Kari repeated.

TK looked at Kari strangely. "Kari…did you lose your Digivice?"

Kari searched her pockets. "I…don't have anything with me."

TK knew there wasn't any time to look for it. They'd have to come back some other time. In the meantime, they'd have to get back to Odaiba using his own Digivice. So TK took out his D-3 and opened a port to the real world.

TK smiled. "Ladies first."

Kari looked skeptical, but TK gently led her in…and walked in right behind her…while thinking about how happy he was to see her alive.

* * *

Etemon had finally made it to the bottom of the cliff. There were no signs of life anywhere and that meant things must have gone according to plan. There were no signs of TK, Kari, or the clone. But there was one thing that bothered Etemon.

It was the fact that the real Kari WAS missing. He would feel much more secure about his plan if he had her under his watchful eye. But if she regained consciousness anywhere, she might find a way to get back to the real world and put a kibosh on his plans. That meant he had to act fast and find her. So Etemon headed out, following the river, seeking to find the real Kari Kamiya.

  


Next Time: Things begin to get complicated. What happens when TK returns to Odaiba with Kari's clone? Where IS the real Kari? Will Etemon get to her? Find these answers and more next time!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	4. Clone In The City

Author's Note: With FF.net updating constantly and uploads at an all-time high (which is not a BAD thing...but a GOOD thing), I've decided to put out a mailing list. If you wish to be notified via e-mail about any of my updates, then let me know by sending a quick e-mail to AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and I will add you to my mailing list.

  


Last Time: TK and Kari went to the Digital World for a picnic. But Etemon put the next part of his plan into action by knocking Kari off a cliff and into the river below. TK rushed down, but found Kari's clone and ended up taking her back to the real world. Meanwhile, the real Kari is missing. Knowing she can put a monkey wrench (no pun intended) into his plans, Etemon decides to go find her.

  


**Double Play: Part 4**

  


Kari woke up and found herself lying at the foot of the river. All she remembered was falling down from a cliff and landing in the river before losing consciousness. By all logic, she should have drowned. Something must have saved her…but she had no idea what.

She felt awfully dizzy and immediately looked around to see no sign of TK anywhere. She then got the idea to locate him with her Digivice. But Kari nearly turned white when she searched her pockets and discovered emptiness. Her D-3 Digivice was gone. And not only did that mean she had no way to get home…but it also meant there was no way for her friends to find her.

Kari observed her surroundings. She was at the bottom of a huge canyon, surrounded only be the river and a series of sharp, jagged rocks. She couldn't imagine what could have possibly saved her. By all means, if Kari had hit the ground or the river, then she should have at least had a bruise. But there were no bruises anywhere on her body. Kari came out of that whole fall unscathed. She just came out a little wet from the river.

If there was one thing Kari DID know about the Digital World, it was that there could be hostile Digimon around every corner. So the first thing she did was seek some shelter. She got to her feet and started wandering down the long path towards seemingly nowhere.

Somewhere in the midst of the jagged rocks, however, she saw a cave. It was the only place she had to go, so Kari headed towards the cave.

She just hoped there was nothing inside.

* * *

Back in Odaiba, TK's nerves were finally starting to calm down after that harrowing experience in the Digital World. He was just glad that Kari was alive and well. If all that was lost in that trip to the Digital World was her Digivice, then TK was certainly thankful. Now it was just time to go home, walking down the street towards Kari's house.

"Are you sure you're ok, Kari?" TK asked again.

Kari looked around in awe, as if she were captivated by the city. "Um…yeah…fine."

TK found it a bit odd at first, but then he realized that maybe she was beginning to cherish what she almost lost by falling off that cliff. She must have still been in a state of shock.

"Kari?"

Kari hesitated before responding. "Oh…yes…TK?"

"I think you should just lie down as soon as I get you home. But maybe it's best if we don't tell anybody what happened. They'd just worry over nothing."

"Oh…ok."

TK kept leading Kari by the hand towards her house. What started out as such a great day had quickly turned sour. TK just wanted the day to end.

"Hey guys!"

Of course, impeccable timing just had to strike. TK didn't get Kari very far before Davis ran into them.

"How'd everything go?" Davis asked cheerfully. "Did you guys have a good time?"

TK shook his head. "Davis, this isn't a good time. I need to get Kari home."

That only served to raise Davis's curiosity. "Huh? TK…did something happen? Is something wrong?" When he saw he wasn't getting an answer from TK, he shifted to Kari. "Kari? Are you all right?"

Kari looked at Davis for a moment…then smiled. "I'm…fine. I'm just…a little shaken up, that's all."

Davis focused on TK again. "Did something happen to her?"

"She's fine," TK replied. "I just need to get her home. She's a little shaken up. Now please get out of our way, Davis."

Davis looked like he wanted answers and TK couldn't blame him. Kari was his friend, too, and he was entitled to answers. But Davis was likely to tell certain other people who would overreact. People like Tai. So TK decided to keep his mouth shut at the moment until this all blew over. TK tried leading Kari away, but Davis put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you going to be ok?" he asked concernedly.

Kari smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine. Thank you…Davis."

After confirming she was ok, TK continued walking Kari. He couldn't blame Davis for being concerned, but right now TK just wanted to get Kari home.

* * *

After she had been brought home, Kari looked around her room. It all looked so familiar to her. She sensed she had been here before. It was starting to come back to her. But she still didn't remember completely.

"Will you be ok?" TK asked.

Kari nodded. "Thank you for bringing me home, TK. I'll be fine."

TK walked over and gave Kari a quick peck on the cheek. "Then I'll call you later. Take care of yourself and get some rest."

With that, TK took his leave, leaving Kari by herself in her room. She was beginning to realize that Etemon was right. This was turning to be what's best. By coming back to her home, Kari was starting to remember a lot about her past. She recognized her old home; she recognized her old city; she recognized her mother when she opened the door; and she recognized…that boy with the goggles, Davis.

She couldn't stop thinking about Davis. He looked so concerned for her safety. Of course, he could have just as easily been as bad as the others Etemon told her about. But then again…Etemon NEVER mentioned Davis. That little encounter got her thinking.

She began to wonder…how well DID she know Davis? Did she know him as well as she did her other 'friends'? She didn't know what to think. She just knew she felt…confused.

"Kari?"

Kari gasped and turned to face her door. She immediately recognized him as the guy with the poofy hair. It was…her brother.

Kari hesitated. "Tai?"

Tai grinned. "Yeah, you look surprised to see me. I actually decided to come home this weekend. So how's everything going?"

Etemon wasn't kidding when he said Tai would try to come off as if nothing had happened. He warned her not to say anything, otherwise he would try something else. So Kari tried her best to act natural.

"I…just got back. Uh…TK brought me home."

Tai smiled. "Oh, then I guess you're both getting ready for your prom."

Kari blinked. "Prom?"

Tai was taken aback by Kari's expression. "Well, yeah! You're Senior Prom. The one coming up in two days. You and TK are going together, right?"

Kari remembered she had to act natural. "Oh…yeah! Of course!"

"Great! You know I'm getting plenty of pictures, right?"

"Oh…uh huh. Of course."

This was getting to be a little too intense for Kari. These sudden revelations weren't doing her any good. Right now, she just wanted some time to herself to absorb all this.

"Tai…I'm a little tired. Can we talk later?"

Tai grinned. "Ok, ok. I need to call Sora and Matt anyway. So I'll let you go ahead and think about……your magical night with TK."

With that big grin on his face, Tai left and closed Kari's door. Kari sighed deeply. This was all so confusing for her. She needed some time to think about all this. Then Kari reached into her pocket…and took out her communicator. Now would be a good time to check in with Etemon and let him know she was safe.

* * *

Etemon didn't see the Kari girl anywhere. The urgency was becoming greater, since the real Kari Kamiya could potentially destroy his plan. If she could find a way to contact her friends, then Etemon's charade would be uncovered. He had to find her and stop her.

But there looked to be nothing that could lead her to him. Etemon kicked the ground in frustration. Things weren't going his way at the moment and it seemed as if things couldn't get any better.

That's when he got a beeping from his communicator. The clone was ALREADY contacting him. He reached for the communicator and read the e-mail she sent him.

  


**Dear Etemon,**

My memory's getting a lot better. This world certainly seems very familiar to me and even my own home is starting to ring a few bells. I remember my mother and I even recognized my brother, whom you said tried to knock me off that cliff.

I feel so confused. My brother and my boyfriend seem like such caring people. But I can't forget that they're the ones who tried to kill me. Yet…they act as if they care about me so much. TK's even going on about how he can't wait for our Senior Prom, which is in TWO DAYS! I feel so confused, Etemon! I don't what I should think!

At least I know I can confide in someone. I ran into this boy named Davis and…he looks really familiar. And it looks like he genuinely cares for me. At least he isn't like the ones who tried to kill me.

But anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I'm ok and that I'm safe. I hope things stay that way, but I'll let you know how things go. I'll keep in touch. Take care of yourself.

Love,  
Kari

  


Etemon was beginning to think he underestimated the sickening kindness of those rotten DigiDestined. He also couldn't forget that his clone WAS of the holder of the Crest of Light, who obviously had human feelings and emotions. The clone was obviously getting mixed feelings and was probably beginning to second guess herself AND Etemon's story. It would take some more of the evil monkey's clever planning to keep the clone on his side and against the DigiDestined. That's when he got an idea.

Etemon knew there was still a way he could manipulate the clone's mind further…and that would mean he'd have to fabricate his story a little more.

Etemon quickly began replying to the e-mail…before pausing for a moment.

"Davis?"

He shrugged it off. Whoever this Davis person was probably wasn't anyone significant anyway.

* * *

Still in the Digital World, Kari just stayed inside the cave. She was starting to wish she had Gatomon to help her out, but she wasn't around. Kari was on her own and she needed to find her own way out. The best way to do that would be to find her lost Digivice. Of course, she didn't have the slightest idea where to begin looking.

Then she looked outside the cave and saw the best place she could possibly look. Kari looked into the river. Her Digivice could have easily fallen out of her pocket and into the river. It may have been somewhere near the bottom. Knowing there was no time to be wasted, Kari was ready to rush straight for the river…and take a long swim.

But before she made it…

…something grabbed her shoulder.

  


Next Time: What's got Kari by the shoulder? Is it a friend or a foe? What's going on back in Odaiba with Kari's clone? What's in Etemon's e-mail? And where IS Kari's Digivice?

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	5. A Tale of Two Karis

Last Time: The cloned Kari was taken back to Odaiba, where she ran into Davis and then Tai. Feeling some of her memory come back yet still feeling confused, she sent an e-mail to Etemon. Meanwhile, the real Kari is stuck in the Digital World and making things worse is the fact that she lost her Digivice, her only way home. As for Etemon, he's looking for the real Kari until he gets an e-mail from the clone…and quickly replies.

  


**Double Play: Part 5**

  


Kari gasped when she felt something grab her shoulder. She slowly turned her head…and found herself face-to-face…with a Digimon whom she recognized.

"Leomon?"

Leomon nodded. "Yes…it's me."

Indeed, it was the noble and heroic Leomon who had a hand on Kari's shoulder. It was all starting to make sense to her now. Last Kari heard, Leomon had died back during the DigiDestined's first adventures through the Digital World. Of course that was a long time ago and Leomon could have easily been reconfigured by then. It had to have been Leomon who rescued her.

"You're the one who saved me?" Kari asked.

Leomon nodded. "I saw someone falling off the cliff. I got there just in time to leap up and catch you…but we both fell into the river. By the time I caught you, you had already fainted. It took some effort for me to pull us both out of the river's current, but I got us out. Unfortunately, I saw something fall out of your pocket and start floating down the river. I thought about it for a moment and finally decided to go look for it, leaving you by my cave. I guess you finally came to."

Kari gave the big lion a hug. "Thank you for saving me, Leomon!"

"I only wish I found whatever it was you lost," Leomon sighed. "Was it important?"

Kari gulped. "My Digivice. I can't get back home without it. I was about to go out and look for it."

"Then I'd better help you find this Digivice," Leomon said. "It must still be in the river somewhere."

Kari didn't wait for Leomon to catch up to her. She rushed into the river and immediately dove in. The currents were somewhat calm, so searching the river wouldn't be so treacherous. Of course, that didn't necessarily mean finding her Digivice would be any easier.

* * *

In Odaiba, Kari just sat in her room…still feeling just as confused as she was five minutes ago. She was still trying to think about her boyfriend and her brother…who supposedly tried to kill her. They had been…awfully nice to her. Etemon warned her that they would try and put up a phony act to try and gain her confidence again. It just all felt so real.

However, she couldn't deny that someone WAS a lot nicer to her. That boy Davis seemed so sincere, as if he legitimately cared for her. She wondered how it was that she ended up with someone like that TK guy…who tried to have her killed.

After pondering her situation for so many moments, Kari finally noticed something go off. It was the communicator Etemon left for her. He was replying to her e-mail.

Kari quickly picked her communicator up and read the message.

  


**Dear Kari,**

It's great to see that you're holding up well. It was hard to let you go, but I knew letting you go back home would start to refresh your memory a bit. But I was afraid of what might happen when you got there. And sure enough, my fears are being realized.

I had a feeling that TK and your brother would wait until the right opportunity to try and kill you again. And it pains me to tell you this…but it's more than likely that they're waiting for your prom night. Kari, you can't let them know you're on to them, otherwise there will be no hope for you. They'll get it over with immediately if they suspect you know their plan. But there is ONE thing you can do.

I can help you, Kari. I can save you from them. All you have to do…is wait until your prom night…and somehow get one of them to open a gate to the Digital World. Trick them if you must, but it's the only way I'll be able to keep you safe. I hope to see you soon, Kari, because I'm worried about you. Take care of yourself and be careful.

Etemon

  


Kari was in shock after reading that letter. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she KNEW it had to be an act and this was basically confirming it for her. They really WERE plotting to kill her again. But there was something that made her feel a little better. Etemon was offering to protect her.

There was nothing Kari could do to repay Etemon for his kind offer. But realistically…Kari couldn't even remember HOW she got into the Digital World. And getting someone to open a port there sounded risky. She didn't know how she was going to pull this off. But she did know one thing.

She couldn't go to the prom with TK. All would be lost if she walked in with someone who was trying to kill her. She needed to go with someone she could trust. But she honestly had no idea who.

"Kari?"

Kari was startled when her door opened again. After the sudden revelation from Etemon, just looking at the doorway…scared her. She looked at her brother with a smile almost as big as his hair…and that scared her. She didn't know what his TRUE intentions were.

"We're going out to breakfast tomorrow morning," Tai said. "All of us. You coming along?"

Kari hesitated briefly. Did this mean…she'd see EVERYONE Etemon told her about? She didn't know if she could trust any of them. But then she remembered what Etemon told her. She couldn't act suspicious, otherwise they'd probably find a way to do away with her sooner.

Kari finally nodded. "Oh…ok."

Tai frowned. "Kari, are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah!" Kari grinned. "Never been better."

Tai smiled again. "Ok. I'll be sure to wake you up…unless you have to wake ME up."

Tai closed the door again, leaving Kari alone. Kari sighed deeply. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew she had to go. She looked in her mirror and began to realize that she was crossing that fine line between cautiousness and paranoia. She couldn't be so hysterical. She needed to calm down.

She couldn't let them see that she knew.

* * *

Another day was just beginning in the Digital World and it was time to take a relaxing swim. This was how Gomamon liked to pass the time and this was the way to get the day started off right. So the fishy rookie didn't waste any time in jumping in and taking a relaxing swim in the river. He was glad he got there bright and early because that meant none of the other fish had made it out that far just yet. The river was relatively empty.

After about five minutes, Gomamon was already starting to get hungry. If there was one Gomamon quality that stood out more than anything, it was his insatiable appetite, something that his human partner, Joe, would complain about more often than not.

Feeling his stomach growl again, Gomamon dove a little deeper to find some grub. But he didn't find any food. Instead…he found a small little device. It looked vaguely familiar, as if he had seen it before. And then it hit him.

Gomamon had stumbled onto a Digivice.

Gomamon scooped the Digivice with his mouth and brought it back to the surface. Gomamon got out of the water and dropped the Digivice on the ground. He wondered where it could have possibly come from. He didn't recognize whose Digivice it was. He just knew it belonged to one of his DigiDestined friends.

Gomamon tried to look closer to see if he could recognize who the Digivice belonged to. But he still couldn't tell. He did know one thing, however. The right thing to do would be to find whomever owned the Digivice and that meant looking around the Digital World.

Wasting no more time, Gomamon dove back into the river and swam down the river, looking for any signs of human life.

* * *

The next day, back in the real world, Kari wasn't feeling so much confusion anymore. The restaurant sure looked familiar to her, so it was safe to say she was getting at least SOME of her memory back. She wasn't worried as much about remembering the past as she was afraid of what the future had in store. If Etemon was right…then she didn't have much time left.

Tai sat right at the head of the restaurant's big table, while Kari stayed standing for a while, just to look at everyone that was there. It was everyone Etemon told her about. She was beginning to remember.

She recognized the blond-haired Sora, but she somehow looked different. She had let her hair down and she looked much more…ladylike. She wasn't the tomboy that Etemon was telling her about.

Sitting next to Sora was Mimi, looking as fashionable as she ever did. She looked the same as she did the last time Kari remembered seeing her. She and Sora looked to be examining a clothing catalogue together.

Then there was Izzy…who had his nose in his laptop…even in the restaurant. It was just as Kari remembered him. Anywhere he went, his laptop usually followed.

Next to Izzy was Joe, who was already sipping away at his soda. Joe looked like a nervous wreck and Kari couldn't imagine why. She couldn't forget that she wasn't around these past few weeks.

That was the other thing that confused Kari. Everyone was going about their business as if nothing happened. None of them had even noticed Kari was around, even AFTER a hiatus of several weeks. It all seemed so strange. Then she remembered everything Etemon tried to tell her. They were probably trying to just act natural…before something else happened.

As Kari's thoughts ran through her head, someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Matt Ishida.

"What are you standing for?" he grinned. "Sit down."

Kari hesitated briefly and then took her seat, but Matt stayed standing since he had one more thing to say.

"I got a call from TK. He can't make it, but he said he'd call you later."

Kari blinked. "Oh…thanks, Matt."

That felt like more of a blessing for Kari. She didn't know what to do if she saw TK again, especially now that she knew he had malicious intentions. She didn't know how she'd react. The more she thought about it…the more afraid of him she was. She began to wonder how she even became his girlfriend in the first place.

So many thoughts were running though Kari's mind, but her train of thought was briefly interrupted when a few more joined in at the table.

Tai turned around and greeted the latecomers. "Hey, glad you could make it!"

Kari's memory was still fuzzy, but these others looked familiar to her. She searched her brain desperately to remember some names. But it wouldn't take her long, because the purple-haired girl sat next to her.

"Sorry it took us so long, but we had to wait for Cody to finish practicing with that kendo stick of his. I swear he can get so slow."

Kari finally started to remember…her other friends. She began to remember Cody and Ken…then she recognized Yolei. A small piece of her memory was coming back. And of course Kari recognized the fourth one. She remembered Davis, the one who was concerned for her safety earlier in the day.

Cody calmly took a sip of his soda. "Kendo takes practice and PATIENCE. It's not my fault it takes time."

"What you call patience, I call SLOW," Yolei growled. Then she cheerfully turned to Kari. "So…where's TK?"

Kari sighed deeply. The mere mention of his name sent chills down her spine. "TK…isn't here. He can't make it."

"Kari…is something wrong?" Yolei asked. "There's something different about you. You don't look like yourself."

Before Kari could even answer, she found herself surrounded by Sora and Mimi. The two girls were each positioned by one of Kari's shoulders. Mimi held the clothing catalogue in front of Kari's face.

"That's the one, Kari!" Mimi squealed.

Kari blinked. "Um…huh?"

"That's the dress we want you to model," Sora added. "Kari, you DO remember you promised to model for our new catalogue…right?"

Kari didn't remember such a promise. "I did?"

Mimi was taken aback by the response. "Kari! Three days ago, you promised us you'd model for our new catalogue. This is gonna be our first STMT catalogue and you agreed to model for us."

Yolei looked a little hurt. "Hey…why didn't you ask me?"

"We TRIED to call you, Yolei," Mimi sighed. "But you were too busy dragging Ken around looking for his tuxedo for your prom."

Ken sweatdropped when he heard that. Yolei looked like she was ready to kick herself. But Kari was feeling…confused again. She thought about everything and that's when…a thought had hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Um…I need some air."

Practically shoving anyone in her path out of her way, Kari quickly stood up and ran out of the restaurant.

  


Next Time: A huge LOGIC gap has presented itself and Kari's clone has realized it. What is it (as if you couldn't guess)? Meanwhile in the Digital World, Gomamon is swimming around with Kari's Digivice. Will he find Kari and Leomon? Will Kari and Leomon find HIM? Will Etemon find EITHER OF THEM? And beware…because in the next chapter, we'll get a HUGE shakeup in the Takari relationship. Come see what it is next time!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	6. The Kiss Heard 'Round The World

Last Time: Kari found out who saved her. It was none other than the heroic Leomon. As for Kari's Digivice, it was lying on the bottom of the river and who should retrieve it but Gomamon. Back in Odaiba, Kari's clone received a distressing letter from Etemon telling her that another plot to kill her was underway, leaving her unsure of anything except one thing, she couldn't trust her brother or her boyfriend. And as they all went out to dinner…Kari rushed out after realizing a logic gap.

  


**Double Play: Part 6**

  


Kari sat by the wall outside the restaurant with her face buried in her hands. She was starting to get that headache again. And that was because…she was feeling confused again. She truly believed in everything Etemon told her. She knew he couldn't be lying to her about anything.

But then she thought about what Sora and Mimi were telling them. Kari had supposedly promised to model for them three days ago. Yet…she wasn't AROUND three days ago. Kari was supposedly still lost three days ago. TK didn't find her until the day before. She didn't know if this was a trick or if it was them trying to go on as if nothing happened. But it DID leave her more confused than ever.

"Kari, are you ok?"

Kari didn't even realize it, but someone was out there with her. She took her face out of her hands and looked over to see…that Davis was sitting right next to her. And just like the day before, Davis had a look of concern on his face.

Etemon revealed a lot about what happened to Kari on that fateful day she was left for dead. He told her she couldn't trust her so-called friends. But none of those so-called friends included Davis.

"Davis…I…there's just so much going through my head right now," Kari said sadly. "I…it's like I don't know who to trust anymore. A lot's…happened."

"Like what? You can tell me."

Kari looked up at Davis and decided to ask an important question. "Davis…have you ever noticed anyone talking about me behind my back?"

Davis thought about that. "Why would you think that?"

Kari shook her head. "I guess you wouldn't understand. You…aren't like them." That put a smile on Kari's face. "Davis…how long have I known you?"

Davis thought about that, too. "We've known each other for a long time. For about seven or eight years."

"Davis…do you care about me?"

Davis didn't have to think about that. "Of course I do, Kari. You're one of my best friends. Why would you even ask me that question?"

Kari was starting to think about everything now. She was thinking about the e-mail Etemon sent her and how he said the others were plotting against her again. She thought about how she couldn't trust anybody…and she remembered prom was one day away. She knew that if she walked in with TK, she wasn't likely to come out of that night alive. So she came to a decision.

Kari looked up at Davis…and smiled. "Davis…can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Do you have a date for prom?

Davis hung his head down. "No…but it's no big deal. I'm not worried about it. I…"

Kari held Davis's hand. "Would you go to the prom with me?"

Davis's jaw just about dropped open. He obviously wasn't expecting that question, but Kari knew exactly what she doing. She needed someone who cared about her as much as Davis did. If she went into prom with him at her side, her chances of surviving were much greater. Kari KNEW she could trust Davis. And maybe…just maybe…Davis WAS starting to grow on her a little bit.

It took a while for the shock to wear off, but Davis finally responded.

"M-Me? Kari……what about TK?"

Kari shut her eyes, leaving a solemn look on her face. "I…can't go with TK. It's…complicated. Please don't ask me why."

"Kari, you can tell me anything. Why can't you go with TK?"

Kari honestly wanted to say something, but she couldn't. All it would do was get Davis worrying about her more. Not to mention the possibility of her brother and TK doing away with her sooner if they found out Kari knew something.

"I just can't say. As a friend, I'm asking that you please not ask."

"Well…ok. But…do you really want to just…dump TK like that?"

Kari rested her head on Davis's shoulder. "Davis…right now…I can't tell you what I'm feeling for TK. But I can tell you what I'm feeling for you. Right now…I honestly feel…safe around you."

Davis looked like he didn't know what to make of any of this. He was going through many emotions and among those were confusion, happiness, and total SHOCK. Kari looked into his eyes…and saw he that range of emotions. It was like he desperately wanted to give her a definite answer, but was unsure what that answer was.

Kari decided to coax Davis a little further. "Davis…you aren't…turning me down, are you?"

Davis finally smiled. "N-N-No…I…I'll…well…ok! I'll go to the prom with you, Kari!"

That was all Kari wanted to hear. She threw her arms around Davis, who briefly hesitated before finally returning the hug. Kari still felt like she had a lot of problems…but for the moment, she felt a lot better. She felt much more secure around Davis.

Kari got to her feet. "Come on, Davis. I need to take a walk."

"Kari…shouldn't we tell everyone else?"

Kari looked inside the restaurant to see that everyone was already eating. She knew they wouldn't notice if she left. So she just shrugged.

"We'll let them eat in peace. Let's just go to the park. I need to clear my head and…maybe we can talk?"

Davis smiled. "Ok."

As they were both walking down the street and leaving the restaurant, Davis was still a little hesitant, so Kari encouraged him a little more by leaning her head on his shoulder. It was starting to loosen Davis up a little more and that left Kari a bit relieved. She didn't want Davis to have any worries about this.

* * *

A few hours passed and Davis still wasn't ready to leave the park yet. Of course this whole day was like a dream. Not just because he was enjoying it so much, but because…it all seemed so impossible. It was just 24 hours ago that she was with TK and seemingly looking forward to going to the prom with him. Apparently, something changed between then and now.

Throughout this whole day, Davis tried to examine the look on Kari's face. It was seemingly an empty, confused stare. There was something on her mind…and she wasn't opening up to anyone. Davis was beginning to wonder…if she and TK had a fight. Why else would she want to go the prom with him instead of TK?

Kari sat under a nearby tree in the refreshing shade. Davis sat right beside her and thought about getting some answers. There had to be a reason Kari was suddenly going to him instead of TK.

"Kari…has something been bothering you lately?"

Kari paused for a moment. "Why…no. Nothing's wrong."

Davis shook his head. "Kari, I can see it. Something IS wrong. Did something happen between you and TK?"

Kari sighed deeply. "I…we…well………Davis……I can confide in you…right?"

"Of course you can! You can tell me anything!"

"Well…Davis…I…can't trust TK right now. Right now…I don't feel safe around him. And…I'm sure not in love with him. Right now…I feel safe around you. I can trust you. And…I…I might even be in love with you."

Davis couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Kari…do you realize what you're saying?"

Kari looked into Davis's eyes and smiled. "Do YOU?"

And with that…Kari leaned over…and kissed Davis. For Davis, this was like a dream was coming true…although it was a dream that he hadn't even thought about in many years. Davis had dismissed this whole scenario as impossible…yet here he was. His lips and Kari's lips were pressed together in an affectionate kiss.

"Kari?!"

The kiss suddenly broke. And Davis turned white as soon as he heard that voice. He turned his head to see…

…TK.

The first thing Davis noticed was the look of shock…and fear on Kari's face. She quickly got to her feet…and ran out, leaving Davis alone.

TK cried out for her. "KARI!"

Davis, on the other hand, was still sitting. There was a part of him that still hadn't absorbed everything that had happened. So he was still sitting even after Kari had left. Davis could only look on as TK just watched Kari run away. The poor boy was in shock.

Of course, TK also looked betrayed. His expression of heartbreak soon turned to anger…as soon as he turned to Davis. And Davis was in the wrong place at the wrong time. TK slowly approached Davis.

Davis quickly tried to defend himself. "TK…that wasn't what it looked like! I…"

****POW****

Davis didn't even get to finish…before TK's fist connected with his eye.

Davis could only just lie back and lose consciousness.

* * *

Still in the Digital World, Kari desperately wanted to get home. She had been gone more than a day and Senior Prom was tomorrow. She knew she had to hurry and get back. She knew one of her friends, most likely TK, was probably looking for her, but they wouldn't get far if they tried to track her Digivice. Since Kari had lost her D-3, her friends couldn't track her location. Kari also knew she could get back herself home with her Digivice. Unfortunately, it was still missing.

Kari sat by the river as Leomon helpfully scoured the waters, searching for the missing D-3. She wanted to help look for it, too, but Leomon insisted she get some rest. She felt fine, but the big champion lion didn't think Kari should be exerting herself after that long fall she had.

Leomon's head popped up out of the water. "Nope. Nothing. There's no sign of your Digivice."

Kari groaned. "Where could it be? I can't lose it! I can't get home without it!"

"It's a big river," Leomon offered. "It may be somewhere else. We can keep looking until we find something. I'll help you find it."

With that, Kari started walking along the dry land while Leomon swam down the river beside her.

"Thanks for helping me, Leomon," Kari smiled. "It's nice to hear that good Digimon like you are still being reconfigured."

Leomon nodded. "Evil Digimon like Ogremon can't keep me down forever. And trust me, for as many times as he's beaten me, I've beaten the likes of Ogremon twice as much."

Such a thought comforted Kari. The fact that heroic Digimon like Leomon were still wandering the Digital World made her feel much better. It looked like the unenviable task of confronting evil wasn't exclusive to DigiDestined.

Leomon dove into the river again and searched around. That's when the water started splashing violently. It looked like Leomon was in the midst of a struggle. Kari quickly jumped into the water to try to help. But as she got in, Leomon's head popped out of the water again.

"I've found something!" Leomon exclaimed.

Leomon tossed something to Kari. It was just what Kari was looking for. It was Kari's Digivice. Leomon had found it. Before Kari could even thank Leomon, he pulled out a Digimon from the water. Kari immediately recognized him.

"Gomamon?!"

"Is this what I get for just swimming around?!" Gomamon asked indignantly. "I try to do the right thing and I end up getting ambushed!" After that initial complaint, Gomamon noticed Kari. "Kari? Great to see you! Is that your Digivice?"

Kari nodded. "Yes it is. Where'd you find it, Gomamon?"

"It was sitting in the bottom of the river. I knew it belonged to one of you guys."

"Do you know this guy?" Leomon asked.

"Yes, she knows me!" Gomamon growled. "Hmm…you look familiar. Hey! You're Leomon!"

"That's me. I was helping Kari find her lost Digivice." He turned to Kari. "I take it that's your lost Digivice?"

"Yes it is!" Kari replied cheerfully, obviously relieved that she could now get home. "Thank you so much, Leomon!"

"Ahem…"

"Oh, and thank you, Gomamon! I guess now I'll go home."

"Hey Kari, is it all right if I tag along?" Gomamon asked.

"Sure, why not?" Kari replied cheerfully. "We're going back through my PC anyway. I'm sure Joe will be REALLY surprised to see you."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Gomamon grinned. "I wonder if he's restocked his fridge yet?"

Kari held out her D-3. "Let's find out."

The D-3 Digivice opened a port back to the real world. Kari never thought much of how Izzy tweaked the D-3s so that they were able to open a port from any home computer, but it was sure a blessing now. Luckily, Kari kept her computer on all day long just for such an emergency as this one.

With the port opened, Kari let Gomamon pass through first. But before Kari passed through, she looked back one more time.

"Thanks again, Leomon. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't saved me."

"Think nothing of it," Leomon said. "You just keep yourself safe. I can't always be around."

Having said her goodbye to Leomon, Kari passed through the port. She was finally going home.

* * *

Etemon's fears were being realized as he saw the real Kari Kamiya opening a port back to the real world. This could potentially put a huge snag in his plan. But soon, some good news came to the monkey mastermind. His communicator was going off.

It was a message from the Gazimon back in the cave. And they're message was a simple one.

**The Stage Is Finished**

Etemon grinned evilly upon seeing that news. Everything was all set. It was time…for a comeback. But there was still one piece of the puzzle missing. He still needed the clone to do her part and open a port to the Digital World so Etemon could invade with his new stage.

So he reached for his communicator and began writing the clone an e-mail.

  


Next Time: We've got two Karis in the real world. The real Kari's heading to her house. The clone is who-knows-where. And for the real Kari Kamiya, the night before prom quickly gets complicated. As for Etemon, his stage is finished. All that's left is for him to head to the real world. Does he get there…with the aid of the clone? Find out next time!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	7. Don't You Believe Me?

Last Time: Kari's clone was still feeling confused and she came to a decision. TK couldn't be trusted…so she decided to ask DAVIS to the prom. At the park, TK caught Kari's clone kissing Davis. While the clone ran away, Davis stuck around long enough to get a punch in the face from an enraged and heartbroken TK. Meanwhile, the REAL Kari was reunited with her Digivice thanks to Gomamon and Leomon. Now she's heading back home. As for Etemon, he got a signal from the Gazimon saying that his stage is finished and ready to go. With that news, Etemon quickly sends an e-mail to the clone.

  


**Double Play: Part 7**

  


The whole day was quickly turning into a debacle. After getting caught by TK, Kari didn't know WHAT to do anymore. TK was obviously furious and if he didn't intend to kill Kari before, he probably did now. Kari looked around to see that she was in a lone alley in the urban part of Odaiba, under the moonlight.

She didn't know how long she ran, but she did know one thing. It was probably time for her to go home. So she was about to head out…until she felt her communicator go off. Etemon was contacting her again. Kari received the e-mail and started reading it.

  


**Dear Kari,**

I know you must be feeling scared right now. Things have changed since I last wrote you. I've had sources come to me and say that your so-called friends are moving their plot along, but your brother isn't about to wait. He may try to finish you off TONIGHT. So it's important that you NOT GO HOME! You CANNOT go home tonight, Kari! Your life may depend on it!

I know this whole ordeal must be difficult, but I have some news that'll cheer you up. I'm ready to come visit. All I need is for you to find a way to open a port to the Digital World around the cave. I'm eager to see you again, Kari. And I can't wait to teach those nasty people a lesson. But none of it can happen if you don't open that port to the Digital World TOMORROW! Please come through for me, Kari!

Etemon

  


For Kari, this was the best news she could have received. Etemon wanted to visit her and at this point, Kari truly needed him. Hopefully, he could make things better again.

Until then, though, she just sat by a dumpster…and decided to spend the night there in the cold.

* * *

After coming back from the Digital World, Kari was never so glad to see home. After a few minutes of treasuring her room, her home, and pretty much life itself, Kari headed for her window and opened it.

"You can come out through here if you want, Gomamon."

Gomamon shook his head. "Don't you think it'd be a better idea if Joe came to get ME? What if someone sees me out there?"

Kari shrugged and shut the window. "That's true. I mean, I STILL don't think Odaiba's ready for another Digimon sighting after everything that's happened. I guess you can stay in my room tonight."

Gomamon sat on Kari's bed. "Thanks, Kari! Uh…Kari? Finding a lost Digivice builds up an appetite. Can you...?"

Kari giggled. "Sure thing, Gomamon."

Suddenly, someone knocked at Kari's door. She figured she could get some food for Gomamon after answering the door, so Kari walked over to see who it was. She smiled when she opened the door and saw TK.

"Hi, TK!"

"Don't you 'Hi, TK' ME!" TK said angrily.

Kari raised an eyebrow. "You sure sound upset. Is there a problem?"

TK looked at Kari in disbelief. "Is there a problem?! How could you actually stand there and ask me that question?! How DARE you ask me that question!!"

Kari stepped out onto the front porch and shut the door. TK was obviously angry about something. She didn't understand what. If anything, Kari felt like SHE should have been angry that TK wasn't out searching for her.

"What's the matter with you?" Kari asked. "Why are you so angry?"

"You want to know what's making me angry?! Why…did you KISS DAVIS?!"

Kari blinked. "Uh…what?"

"Stop playing innocent!!" TK snapped. "I saw you two at the park and I saw you run away as soon as I called you! You saw me and you ran away, Kari!"

"TK, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't you stand there and lie to me!! I know you kissed him!! How could you do this, Kari?! I thought we had something special!! We've been together for five years and friends for a lot longer!! And yet you STILL have to go and do…THAT?!"

Kari was beginning to get irritated by these wild accusations. "TK, I NEVER kissed Davis! I wouldn't do that to you! I don't like Davis, I like YOU! Don't you believe me?"

TK stared at Kari coldly. "NO! I DON'T believe you! I only believe what I SAW!"

Those words stabbed at Kari like a dagger. "You DON'T believe me? What are you trying to say? Don't you trust me? Are you saying I'm a liar?"

TK's stare only got colder. "Maybe I am!!"

Kari gasped. There were so many things she wanted to do now. She wanted to yell. She wanted to scream. She wanted to slap TK so hard that she'd not only knock his block off, but her handprint would remain eternally tattooed on his cheek. But instead…she just stepped back in her house and slammed the front door in his face.

"FINE!! Walk away, Kari Kamiya!! You can just forget about prom and forget about US!! It's OVER!! If you want a prom date, then go with DAVIS!!"

Kari's blood was boiling at this point. She had never felt so angry before in her life. She couldn't believe the unmitigated gall of TK Takaishi to accuse her of kissing Davis. Then the reality of what just happened was starting to hit her.

She had just been dumped.

The love of Kari's live was leaving her…and she wasn't chasing after him. Kari slumped down and started crying. Tears quickly flowed from her eyes and dropped to the ground as Kari sobbed loudly.

At this point, Gomamon was flopping over towards the kitchen. "Hey, Kari? You cooking with onions in there or something?" The fishy rookie paused when he noticed Kari crying her eyes out. "Hey! What's with you?"

Kari raised her head, her vision blurred by tears. "I…I…I…." She couldn't even finish before she resumed crying.

"Hmm…come on, Gomamon, think," the rookie muttered to himself. "You know how to cheer people up." Then he cheerfully looked up at Kari and grinned. "Knock, knock!"

Kari wailed loudly and ran into her room, shutting the door behind her.

"Was it something I said?" Gomamon asked from behind the door.

Kari ran to her bed and buried her face in her pillow. She had no idea what made TK act this way. He had completely gone off the deep end. And now…in a matter of moments, the loving couple was no longer. Kari found herself…alone…and she didn't know why.

But she knew someone who might be able to explain everything. She pulled her face out of her pillow, dried off her tears, and reached for the phone. She quickly dialed Davis's number.

_"Hello?"_

"Jun? It's Kari. Is Davis there?"

_"Davis? He hasn't come in yet. I'll let him know you called."_

"Oh…thanks, Jun."

Kari stoically hung up the phone. She desperately wanted answers. She wanted to know why TK would think she was kissing Davis. And the only person who could give her answers was Davis himself. But in the meantime…she just buried her face in her pillow and fell asleep.

* * *

A new day had dawned in the alley. Waking up next to the dumpster, Kari woke up and quickly thought about where her life was ending up. A week ago, she was under the care of Etemon, one of the most caring Digimon she knew. A month ago, she was living amongst horrible friends who cared nothing for her. In between that time, she had been pushed off a bridge and lost most of her memory. And last night, she slept in an alley, all alone, because she couldn't trust anybody.

However, there was one thing she could be happy about. Tonight…was her prom night. And she knew she was going with someone she COULD trust. She was going with someone she could confide in. She was going with someone she cared about.

Kari stood up and started walking around. She noticed her clothes were tattered. She needed to change. Yet Etemon told her to stay away from her home, since her brother was likely to harm her. But Kari realized that she couldn't go to the prom like this. She had to find a way home. She saw a dress in her closet and knew she had to get it before tonight.

So Kari decided to take a risk…and head back home.

* * *

Waking up in her bed, Kari still wasn't feeling better. She still wasn't over what happened last night. So she got up, grabbed a fresh set of clothes, and opened her door. Walking out and walking into her bathroom, Kari wanted to take a shower. But when she opened up the shower curtains, she got a rude surprise.

"AAH!"

"AAH!"

Kari, obviously startled, took a step back. "GOMAMON!"

Gomamon was sitting in the tub with a shower cap on his head. "A little privacy please?" With that he shut the curtains again.

Kari stomped over and opened the curtains again. "WHAT are you doing in there?"

"I had no other place to sleep," Gomamon answered. "You shut the door on me and I knew Tai would wake me up when he walked in, so instead of sleeping in his room, I slept in the tub. I don't know why Joe doesn't let me sleep in his tub. Tubs are pretty comfortable."

"You can't stay in here," Kari said dryly. "I need to take a shower. I want to be ready for tonight."

"Got something coming up tonight?"

The cold reality hit Kari. She no longer had a date for prom. She wasn't going with TK and she certainly wasn't going with Davis. Not unless she got an explanation from him, anyway. Kari had no one to go with. But she also knew it was her Senior Prom. Even if she DIDN'T have a date…she still wanted to be there.

"Yes, I do. If you need sleep, go ahead and sleep in my room. I'll be right there. And don't wake up Tai. Well…I don't an EARTHQUAKE could wake a sleeping Tai. But don't wake him up, anyway!"

Not giving Gomamon another minute in her tub, Kari started pushing the fishy rookie out the bathroom door. She proceeded to take the shower cap off his head as she shut the door.

Now that she was alone, Kari went to take a shower.

* * *

Gomamon grumbled as he flopped towards Kari's room. He was having such a nice rest in that bathtub and now he'd have to work to get back to sleep. So he nudged Kari's door open and slumped over by the foot of her bed and lied down there. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.

About five minutes passed and Gomamon could feel he was picking up right where he left off in terms of sleep. But he heard the window start to slide open. At first, he dismissed the creaks as just some noise from outside.

But when Gomamon heard someone go through the nearby closet, his curiosity started going up. He opened his eyes and looked over at the window…to see Kari climbing out.

Gomamon shrugged. "You have a door, you know."

Kari didn't hear him. She just departed and left the window open. Feeling a gentle breeze, Gomamon just closed his eyes and started sleeping again. He didn't sleep for long, though, because the door opened. Kari, wearing her robe and slippers, walked back in.

Gomamon opened his eyes and shook his head fiercely. "I must have been dreaming. Didn't I just see you go out through the window?"

Kari looked at Gomamon skeptically. "I think you WERE dreaming. Why would I come out through the window? I was just in the shower."

Gomamon snickered. "I guess that DOES sound silly. Maybe I just need some more sleep."

The tired rookie-level Digimon laid his head down to sleep again, but was quickly woken up.

"Where's my dress?!"

Gomamon lifted his head up. "What happened?"

"My prom dress!" Kari wailed. "It's gone! TAI!!"

It didn't take long for a groggy Tai Kamiya to open the door, still in a white tank top and shorts and with a sleepy look on his face.

"Something wrong, Kari?" Tai yawned.

"My prom dress is GONE!" Kari cried. "What happened to it?"

Tai went over to inspect the closet. He looked left and right and shrugged. "I don't know. Didn't you have it here?"

"YES! It was right here! Tai, who was in my room?!"

"Why are you looking at me?" Tai growled. "I don't let anybody in your room; you know that." He suddenly noticed Gomamon and waved tiredly. "Hey Gomamon. When did you get here?"

"I just dropped by yesterday for a visit," the mohawked rookie grinned. "I wanted to say hello before dropping in on Joe."

Kari dropped to her knees and pounded her fist into the floor. "I don't understand it! Where could it be?"

"Beats me," Tai shrugged. He started wearily made his way out. "Good luck finding it."

After Tai walked out, Kari turned to Gomamon. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Gomamon cheerfully tried to add his two cents. "Well…"

"I got it!"

Gomamon sweatdropped, having been cut off before he could put in his suggestion. Kari reached over for the phone and started dialing.

"Sora? It's Kari. **…** Well…I've been better. It's a long story. Look, Sora, I need help. I need a dress for tonight. Do you and Mimi have any extra dresses lying around in that pile? **…** Uh-huh. **…** You do?! Great! Can I come pick it up later before prom? **…** Ok! Thank you so much, Sora! You're a lifesaver! Well… **…** Huh? **…** Of course I remember I said I'd model for you. I wouldn't forget anything like that. **…** What? What do you mean I said I forgot? **…** Look, Sora, can we talk later? I need to get ready. I have to get my hair done, my nails done, and… **…** Huh? **…** You and Mimi want to do that? Ok! Uh…is it all right if I bring a visitor with me? **…** It's Gomamon. **…** Ok, I'll be right there. Thank you, Sora! Bye!"

Kari hung up the phone and Gomamon knew what was about to go down, so he flopped over towards the door.

"Shall we go?" Gomamon asked.

Kari just frowned. She was still in her robe and slippers.

Gomamon sweatdropped. "Oh…I'll give you a few minutes. I'll just wait in Tai's room."

Gomamon left Kari to change and started flopping over towards Tai's room, letting out a big yawn on the way. He was still a little tired, but he'd get some sleep when he met up with Joe.

After all, today would just be another day.

* * *

Etemon looked at his stage proudly. It looked like a vast improvement over the last stage he used when he traveled the lands of Server. The black wires that were hooked up to the huge speakers looked like they were all in working order.

"Everything works, right?" Etemon asked the three Gazimon.

"It's all prepped and ready to go," the first one replied.

"The speakers and microphone are in perfect condition," the second one added.

"And the stage has a few nifty tricks we added ourselves," the third one finished.

"What kind of nifty tricks?" Etemon asked curiously.

The first Gazimon walked up to Etemon. The monkey leaned over so the Gazimon could whisper everything in his ear.

Etemon chuckled evilly. "That's beautiful! That ought to wipe them all out!"

"You can even trash the city with that new feature," the second Gazimon added.

"I'm not trashing the city!" Etemon growled. "Are you nuts?! After I'm done with the DigiDestined, that'll be my new kingdom! Tonight, the DigiDestined's hometown officially meets its new ruler…ME! And now all that's left…is to wait."

"Can we have a song in the meantime?" the third Gazimon requested.

"NO!" Etemon snapped. "My singing is reserved tonight. But you can come and see me sing my victory song…after I crush the DigiDestined once and for all!"

Etemon couldn't wait. The time was almost here.

  


Next Time: We look at the hours leading up to the prom. Kari gets prepared. So does the clone. So does Davis. But what about TK? Does he even have a purpose being there anymore? Will he even show up? And will Etemon crash the party? We're coming down to the wire, so come back next time to see what happens!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	8. Prom Night Begins

Last Time: It was every Takari fan's nightmare. TK and the real Kari fought, with TK storming off, leaving Kari dumped. But undaunted, the real Kari is still bent on going to her prom and getting some answers. Little does she know that her clone is ALSO going to the prom. And if Etemon has his way…so will he.

  


**Double Play: Part 8**

  


Kari sighed deeply. "And that's the whole story. I still can't believe what's happened."

Kari could feel that Mimi had stopped doing her hair. The holder of the Crest of Light turned around to see the look of utter shock on Sora and Mimi's faces.

"I don't believe it," Sora said solemnly. "That doesn't sound like TK at all."

"Why would he think he saw you kissing Davis?" Mimi asked. "Did you?"

"No! I didn't kiss Davis! But for some reason, he thinks I did. I've tried getting in touch with Davis, but he's not around. I really hope I see him soon, because I want answers!"

"Kari, can I ask you a question?" Mimi asked, as she resumed doing Kari's hair.

"Sure thing, Mimi. What is it?"

"If you and TK are broken up…then why are you going to prom?"

"The way I see it is…this is a special night in a girl's life. Senior Prom should be a night full of memories that last a lifetime. And I'm not going to miss out, even if I don't have a date anymore. I still want to be there."

"That's very admirable, Kari," Sora smiled. "You're not letting this setback hold you down."

"I still hope it'll be a great night," Kari said…before frowning. "I just wonder if TK will be there."

"I don't know if he'd even bother to show up," Mimi said frankly. "I don't even think he has his head on straight." Mimi let go of Kari's hair. "Ok, you're all set."

Sora took Kari's hand and led her to a mirror. Kari didn't recognize the person staring back at her. Her hair was done in a neat bun that hung from the back of her head. Her makeup matched her lavender dress and gloves. Looking for another opinion, Kari turned around.

"What do you think?"

Gomamon looked on in amazement. "You look beautiful!"

Kari smiled. "Thank you, Gomamon." She sighed one more time. "This isn't gonna be easy."

"Well…we could always come along if you want," Sora suggested. "If you need us, we'll be right outside."

"You'd do that for me?" Kari asked.

"Of course!" Mimi replied cheerfully. "We've got nothing important to do anyway. The designs can wait for one more day."

"Besides, SOMEONE has to watch Gomamon, right?" Sora smirked. "And maybe Mimi and I can be on the lookout for Davis."

"That's a good idea," Kari concurred. "Especially since I'm still not getting an answer at Davis's house. Ok, then I guess we'd better go."

Gomamon jumped into Sora's arms and everyone got ready to go. Kari was ready for her prom night and though it wouldn't be the special night she hoped for, it didn't mean she'd miss out on any potential lifelong memories.

Yes, Kari was still going to her prom…even if she didn't have a date.

* * *

TK adjusted his bow tie again. "I still don't know why I'm going. Kari's going with Davis. Why should I bother?"

TK turned his head to face the nearby stool and a huffy Patamon, who didn't look too happy with his partner's attitude.

"TK, you just…PUNCHED Davis without even giving him a chance!"

"A chance for what? I saw him kissing Kari!"

"You don't know that for sure! Maybe she was getting something out of his eye or something!"

"Patamon, you don't understand! You don't know what I saw! If she really didn't kiss him, then she wouldn't have run away."

"And what did Davis say?"

TK paused. "Well…I didn't really give Davis a chance to say anything."

"TK, you only have one side of the story! This might all just be a misunderstanding!"

TK stared at his partner coldly. "You…don't know what I saw! It was NOT a misunderstanding! I know what I saw and I saw Kari kiss Davis!"

"You at least owe Davis a chance to explain!" the stubborn Patamon persisted. "And besides, TK, it's your prom night. You think I could forget how you went on and on about how tonight's supposed to filled with memories that'll last a lifetime? You should still go, even if it isn't with Kari."

TK sighed. "I guess you have a point. About the lifetime memory thing, not about Davis. I guess I'll go."

"And you already paid for the tux, right?" Patamon grinned.

TK chuckled. "That's right."

Patamon flew into TK's arms. "Ok, let's go."

TK dropped Patamon. "I meant I'M going! You're staying here."

"Aw, you're no fun, TK," Patamon pouted.

"I promise I'll bring you back some ice cream," TK grinned.

Patamon quickly perked up. "Ok!"

Patamon perched himself on TK's bed and tried to put on a behavioral act so blatant that there might as well have been a halo on the little Digimon's head.

This was TK's time now. Dressed in his black tuxedo and lavender tie and vest, TK started walking out. Even without a date, he was still determined to make the best of this night.

* * *

Davis adjusted his hair again, trying to slick it back. He couldn't believe he was going out without his goggles, but this was a very special night. He didn't expect to actually have a date for prom, but not only did he have a date…but it was with the girl of his dreams.

For many years, Davis had pushed Kari Kamiya out of his mind. She had just been an afterthought to him now after having a crush on her for so many years. He had come to accept the fact that she and TK were together. But in the past day…things had changed.

Somehow, Kari had fallen for him. For some reason, she didn't want TK anymore. She wanted him now. And after spending the day with her yesterday, Davis began to notice that the feelings he once had for Kari…were coming back. Though it felt more like…those feelings never left.

While Davis struggled to work his hair, the doorbell rang. He immediately froze and his heart skipped a beat. He knew who was behind that door. So he slowly walked towards the front door, his knees shaking the whole way. He closed his eyes and hesitated as his hand touched the doorknob. Finally, Davis sucked it up and opened the door. He definitely wasn't disappointed when he did.

In a lavender dress that went all the way down to the ground was Kari Kamiya. Davis's heart skipped another beat. Now he felt his legs completely stiffen. He was unable to move.

Kari smiled, which melted Davis's heart. "Are you ready?"

Davis slowly nodded as a dreamy smile spread across his face. "Yeah."

Kari took Davis's hand and started leading him out. Too bad they didn't get very far.

"Hey Davis! Were you planning to leave before we got pictures?"

Davis sweatdropped. "Mom…Dad…"

Sure enough, Davis's parents quickly rushed to the living room and Davis's mom was armed with a camera. Davis looked past them to see his older sister, Jun, smugly leaning against the wall, trying to hold in some snickers. Davis's dad quickly lined the couple up against the door.

"Ok, smile!" he said cheerfully.

Kari giggled and smiled. Davis smiled sheepishly. The flashbulb went off, leaving Davis's eyes swirling. Now it was DAVIS who was leading Kari out.

"Well that's great, Mom and Dad. But we have to go now. We don't want to be late. See ya!"

Davis quickly led Kari out the door and started dashing down the street. After a few minutes of walking briskly, he finally stopped and looked back. Knowing he was far away from home, Davis breathed a sigh of relief. At least now he could have a moment alone with Kari.

"You look beautiful."

Kari blushed. "Thank you."

Davis would have been happy with that blush, but something about Kari looked…distressed. As if her mind was elsewhere. At first he thought it was Davis's eye that was bothering her. Yes, he did have a black eye from the day before when TK knocked his lights out.

"Are you ok?" Davis asked.

Kari spaced out for a moment, but then came back to reality and nodded. "I-I'm fine. I guess…I just can't believe tonight's already here. I feel…excited."

Davis grinned. "That makes two of us! Let's go!"

With that, Davis and Kari walked down the street arm-in-arm, determined to make this night one they would never forget.

* * *

Arriving at the school without a date, Kari began to feel a little awkward. She was beginning to have second thoughts about showing up. She wanted to turn back and head home. But as she turned around, a hand from the nearby bush grabbed her hand.

Sora stuck her head out of the bush. "Where do you think YOU'RE going?"

"This was a bad idea, Sora," Kari moaned. "Maybe I should just go home."

Mimi stuck her head out. "We didn't take all that time to do your hair and your nails just so you can turn back now. You march in there, Kari Kamiya, and have the time of your life!"

"Don't make us drag you in there!" Gomamon added.

Kari sighed and begrudgingly headed back for the school. Amidst the crowd of couples, Kari began to feel out of place. Then things got a little better when she accidentally bumped into someone. The girl she bumped into turned around.

"Kari?"

"Yolei?"

Yolei looked very elegant in her green dress, so unlike how she looked on most occasions, even though she DID strive to be as trendy as Mimi. But what confused Kari was that…she was alone.

"Where's Ken?" Kari asked curiously.

Yolei pointed over towards the distance. Ken Ichijouji was bashfully making his way forward, looking like he was trying to lose someone while he was at it. It looked like someone was following him around with a video camera. Ken caught up to Yolei and ducked behind her.

"Do you mind?!" Ken snapped.

The face behind the camera revealed himself to be a grinning Cody Hida. "I'm under strict orders. Right, Yolei?"

"That's right," Yolei said. "I want you to capture every moment of this, Cody. Keep the camera on us at all times! Ken, will you relax? Are you camera shy or something?"

Ken nervously looked into the camera. "Not really. But aren't you going a little overboard, Yolei?"

"I want this to be a night we can look back at again and again," Yolei explained. "This is a magical night and I want to get it on tape." Suddenly, she stopped and turned to Kari. "Hey…where's TK?"

Kari frowned. "I take it you didn't hear what happened. TK came by my house yesterday and started yelling at me. He kept going on about me kissing Davis."

"You kissed Davis?" Ken asked.

"NO! But for some reason, TK won't believe me. He made me so mad, I slammed the door in his face. So we're not exactly on good terms right now. But I want some answers. Have any of you seen Davis?"

Yolei shook her head. "Davis hasn't arrived yet. Well…WE haven't seen him, anyway. Maybe he's already inside."

"Thanks, Yolei. Just wait 'til I find him! If I find out he's been spreading lies, then you just wait and see what I do to him!"

With that, Kari stormed off into the crowd again…to look for Davis.

* * *

Yolei shook her head as Kari walked off. That had to be the worst thing that could happen to her. Yolei wished she could help. She also wished she could knock Davis's head off if he really WAS the reason TK got the wrong idea.

"You think Davis really WOULD sink that low?" Yolei asked.

Ken, still dodging the camera, stood up for his best friend. "Davis would never do anything to hurt Kari and TK's relationship. It's probably just some misunderstanding."

Cody put the camera down and pointed out into the distance. "Is that Davis over there?"

Yolei looked over and saw that Davis HAD arrived. But what amazed her was that he was with Kari…and they were coming arm-in-arm.

"What…is THIS?" Yolei muttered in shock.

"Uh…didn't it sound to you guys like Kari wanted to KILL Davis?" Cody pointed out.

"When did she let her hair down?" Ken added.

Yolei started walking towards Kari and Davis. "Let's go find out."

Yolei wandered towards Kari and Davis with Ken and Cody following right behind her. When she reached them, Yolei positioned herself in front of the couple with Ken and Cody standing behind them.

"I see you found Davis," Yolei said curtly. "And you WONDER why TK was upset?"

Ken leaned over towards Davis's ear. "How did you pull THIS off? From what she was telling us earlier, I thought she would have wrung your neck. And why didn't you tell me?"

"What happened to your eye?" Cody asked.

Yolei suddenly noticed Davis's black eye. "I'm guessing TK DID find out about you two!" She turned to Kari, who was quickly flinching. "Is THIS why you wanted to find Davis?"

"Stop hassling her, Yolei!" Davis growled. "What's your problem?"

"MY problem? Have you two thought about TK at all?! Kari, I know DAVIS is a jerk and I've come to expect this sort of thing from him by now. But I didn't think YOU would be capable of something like this!"

Davis calmly pushed Yolei aside. "Excuse us, you're in our way."

Yolei stepped aside and shot Davis a death glare, one which he happily returned. She couldn't believe their unmitigated gall. And she felt sorry for TK. He must have been crushed.

Trying to forget that unpleasant exchange, Yolei motioned with her hand to Cody. "Turn the camera back on, Cody."

Cody pressed the 'ON' button and resumed taping. Yolei reached for Ken's hand to go into the prom, but someone caught up to them. It was Kari.

"Well, did you find him?" Kari asked.

"I think you know the answer to that," Yolei grumbled. "I still can't believe you'd do that to TK, Kari! How could you?"

"What are you talking about?" Kari responded. "Have you seen Davis or not?"

Ken blinked. "Weren't you just with him?"

Cody touched Kari's hair. "When did you style your hair again?"

"This isn't funny, you guys!" Kari growled. "Look, if you aren't going to help me, then I'll just find Davis myself!"

Having said that, Kari stormed off. Yolei, who was feeling angry a second ago, now felt…confused.

"Does anyone want to tell me what just happened?" Ken asked.

"Kari's acting weird," Cody tried answering.

Yolei put a hand to her forehead and sighed. "Ok, maybe we got this night off on the wrong foot. Let's go inside…and start over. Cody, did you rewind the tape?"

Cody pressed the button. "Got it."

Yolei grabbed Ken by the hand and led him inside. "All right! Let's go!"

* * *

Davis couldn't believe his friends for acting the way they did. He couldn't believe Yolei was chiding HIM for what happened. She didn't know the whole story. For that matter, DAVIS himself didn't really know the whole story. But he didn't want to pry into the reasons Kari was now going with him instead of TK. Instead, he just wanted to focus on tonight…his prom night.

But Kari stopped. "Davis…can we stop for a second?"

"What's wrong, Kari?"

Kari was frantically looking around, as if she were expecting something to leap out at her. "I…I…I don't feel…safe. I…"

Kari started running off. Davis ran after her. By the time he caught up to her, they were by the side of the gymnasium where the prom was being held. Davis saw Kari sitting down, hugging her knees, shaking frantically, with her back turned to him.

"I should have been ready," she said under her breath to herself. "I'm not ready for something to happen. I would have been ready. If only I had opened a port to the Digital World like I was supposed to."

Davis blinked. "You needed to open a port to the Digital World?"

Kari gasped and turned around. "Davis…you weren't supposed to hear that!"

"Kari…do you need to open a port to the Digital World?"

Kari looked up at Davis curiously. "You can do that?"

"Of course I can!" Davis said proudly. "I never forget my Digivice!"

Sure enough Davis was carrying his Digivice in his tuxedo pocket. He took it out and pointed it out into the distance.

"So…what part of the Digital World do you need to go to?"

* * *

Sora was getting exhausted having waited for so long. She hadn't gotten much sleep in the past few days and this night was starting to take its toll on her. In fact, it was up to Mimi to keep her awake by nudging her constantly. They hadn't seen Davis come in and it was looking like he might have gone in through another path. But Sora didn't notice, for her eyelids were drooping again. That's when she felt something nudge her in the kidney.

"Hey! Mimi, would you stop that?"

Sora turned around and saw that it wasn't Mimi who nudged her. It was Tai and Matt.

"What are you two doing here?" Sora asked.

"We were about to ask you the same question," Matt grinned.

"We brought Kari here," Mimi answered. "What are you two doing here?"

"First of all, it's not just us two," Tai began. "Joe? Izzy?"

Joe and Izzy wandered in right behind Tai and Matt. The small area behind the bush was quickly becoming crowded.

"Hey, Joe! I was hoping to see you!" Gomamon said cheerfully.

"When did YOU get here?" a surprised Joe asked.

"Why did you two get dragged along?" Mimi asked before Gomamon could reply.

"Tai wants us to cover the perimeter from all angles," Izzy explained. "And he wants us to get as many pictures of Kari and TK as possible."

Sora shook her head. "Tai…did you even BOTHER to notice that Kari and TK aren't going to the prom together?"

Tai blinked. "I spent most of the last few days at Matt's planning this out. What happened?"

Sora sighed deeply. "Have a seat and let me explain it to you."

* * *

Etemon tapped the microphone again. "Mic check, one two."

The microphone was in working condition. The stage was all set, positioned in the back of large truck. All that was left was for Etemon to drive it. So he jumped off the stage and just as he did…he saw the one thing he was waiting to see since he was reconfigured.

He saw a port being opened. A port to the real world was being opened.

Etemon grinned evilly as he got in the driver's seat of the stage truck. It was finally Showtime.

  


Next Time: All the DigiDestined, past and present, are either in the vicinity or are on their way. And guess who else is on his way? It's Etemon! Come back next time as Etemon meets up with the DigiDestined ONE MORE TIME!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	9. Start The Comeback Tour!

Last Time: Things got a little confusing. Kari went to the prom alone, but with Sora, Mimi, and Gomamon following right behind her. After a little encouragement from Patamon, TK also decided to go alone. Yolei and Ken arrived together, with Cody taping their whole night, and met up with her. Later Yolei, Ken, and Cody ran into Davis…and Kari's clone. While things got mixed up over there, Sora, Mimi, and Gomamon were still hiding behind the bush…when Tai, Matt, Izzy, and Joe showed up. What none of them know is that Davis is about to open up a port to the Digital World…and you know what that means.

  


**Double Play: Part 9**

  


Still by herself, Kari looked everywhere in the crowd of kids inside the gymnasium (conveniently converted into a dance floor for tonight's purposes) for any signs of Davis. He was nowhere to be seen. Kari was beginning to feel frustrated. She wanted to know what was going on. Unfortunately, as she walked towards the punch bowl, she didn't run into Davis. Instead, she ran into another handsome young man in a tuxedo.

"TK?"

TK Takaishi didn't look too happy to see Kari. "Kari. So where's Davis?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

"You mean you can't even keep track of your own date?" he asked bitingly.

Kari immediately felt her blood boil. "I wasn't coming to the prom with Davis! Why won't you get that through your thick head?!"

"I think that kiss you gave him said a lot!"

"I DIDN'T KISS HIM!!"

Just then, Kari heard something from behind the wall coming from outside. It was an outcry coming from a very familiar voice.

"Did you just hear Davis right now?" Kari asked.

TK scowled. "You'd know the answer a lot better than me."

Kari glowered. "That's it! I'm getting this settled once and for all!"

Kari started storming towards the exit, but TK wasn't letting her go alone.

"I have a few things to say myself," TK grumbled.

Kari angrily headed towards the exit, with TK in close pursuit, both of them determined to find Davis and get some answers.

* * *

Davis had no idea why Kari wanted him to open a port to that specific part of the Digital World. But when he opened the port up with his Digivice, he was immediately met with the view of an oncoming truck. He immediately dove out of the way as the truck drove out of the port and into…the real world. The truck honked with an extremely loud horn that nearly shook the ground. And it didn't stop until it hit the side of the gymnasium, nearly driving right through the wall.

Davis checked up on Kari. "Are you ok?"

"Davis Motomiya!!"

Davis was being called by…a very familiar voice. He turned around to see who was heading towards him.

It was Kari.

At first, Davis thought he was dreaming. Kari was walking towards him…yet he looked to his side…and saw Kari there, too. He was seeing double. The only difference was that this Kari that was walking up to him had her hair styled.

The styled Kari helped Davis to his feet. "Davis, what's going on?"

Davis looked at that Kari…then the other Kari. "That's a good question. How could you be over here if you're over there?"

The styled Kari noticed…the other Kari. "What the…?!"

The other Kari turned around and gasped. Both Karis walked up to each other and stood face-to-face. Davis could swear one of them was looking in a mirror, with the exception of the different hairstyles. They gazed into each other's eyes and then began testing each other. They both waved their hands around at the same time, made a couple of quick faces, and then looked into each other's eyes one more time before gasping again. Feeling a bit hysterical over this sudden shock, the Kari who didn't have her hair styled immediately leaned on Davis's shoulder, but looked right at the other Kari.

"Y-Y-You look…like me," she said nervously.

A fourth person joined in. It was TK, who shook his head upon seeing Kari and Davis. "I knew it! I knew you two couldn't keep your hands off…"

TK stopped in his tracks when he saw the styled Kari and the other Kari. His jaw just about dropped open.

"There's two of you!" TK exclaimed.

The styled Kari didn't know what to say. "What's going on?!"

"Maybe *I* can answer that!"

Davis's attention was suddenly focused back on the truck that drove into the real world. Someone came out of the driver seat. Davis didn't recognize him, but the styled Kari and TK let out a shocked gasp.

"It can't be!" TK shouted.

It was a big monkey with sunglasses and a teddy bear at his belt buckle. He pressed a button on the truck and it unfolded to reveal an enormous stage, set up with large speakers and a huge number of black wires.

"That's right, kiddies! It's time for a comeback! The king lives!"

Davis took a step back. "Who are you?!"

TK answered that question. "Etemon!"

* * *

After the long explanation of why Kari and TK were coming to the prom alone, Sora didn't hear a barrage of questions from either Tai or Matt. That was because a huge commotion was coming from the direction of the gymnasium.

"Do you guys hear something?" Sora asked.

"I thought I heard a truck horn," Izzy replied. Then they heard a crash. "And that sounds like a TRUCK!"

"How does a truck get into the high school?" Mimi asked. "Especially in the middle of prom?"

Tai didn't want to wait. "Let's find out!"

Tai ran off without even waiting for anyone else. Sora and Matt got up to run after him, with Izzy and Mimi in close pursuit. Joe, carrying Gomamon, brought up the rear.

Tai was just as fast as he ever was, but Sora wasn't a slowpoke herself. She kept pace with Tai, despite seeing the crowd, which was quickly fleeing in terror. She soon saw why. There was a huge stage set up by the side of the gymnasium. And on the stage, by the mic stand, was a very familiar enemy.

"Please tell me that isn't who I think it is," Izzy moaned.

Sora couldn't believe what she was seeing, but unfortunately…it was true. The one on the stage…

…was Etemon.

* * *

Yolei couldn't help but notice that there was a huge disturbance coming from outside. The noise began to grow louder as a deafening truck horn sounded. The noise grew louder still, until something crashed into the side of the gym's wall. After the crash, it didn't take long for the crowd of high school kids to start clearing out of the gymnasium.

"What's going on?" Yolei asked.

"It's coming from outside!" Cody noted.

"Let's go see what it is!" Ken added.

Trying to push their way through the crowd, Yolei, Ken, and Cody made their way through the dispersing crowd until they finally reached the double-door exit. They ran out and made a detour towards the side of the gym…where they saw a giant stage had been set up from the back of a truck.

The first thing Yolei noticed…was Kari and TK…along with Davis and…Kari. There were two Karis. She then noticed that the older DigiDestined were quickly arriving at the scene. And then she looked up at the stage and the mic stand…

…to see a monkey in sunglasses.

* * *

This was the moment of truth for Etemon. He couldn't have set this up better himself. He looked over to see all the DigiDestined were heading his way. They had all come to him and they were there ripe for the picking. Etemon was ready to annihilate them once and for all.

"Ah, what a wonderful audience we have gathered here for my comeback!" Etemon boomed over the mic. "It's been years in the making, but after years of settling for the rest, now it's time for the return of the best!"

The impulsive Tai stepped forward. "When did YOU come back, Etemon?!"

Etemon laughed. "Reconfiguration is a wonderful thing! Not only does it ensure that the hits will never die, but it also means that the hits will always keep on coming!" He looked out at the infernal DigiDestined. "It's nice to see you've all come out for this special show. I must say, you've all grown up since my last performance. It's a shame that the time has now come for your final swansong!" Then he looked out to see they weren't alone. "But I also see some new faces. Probably some lost spectators. This is between me and them. You all can go away and leave us alone. I'll deal with you and the rest of your pathetic town later."

"We're not going anywhere!" another impulsive boy, who looked like a younger Tai, shouted. "We're DigiDestined!"

Another black-haired boy whom Etemon didn't recognize stepped forward. "They're our friends! And we're all a team! If you want them, you'll have to take us too!"

Etemon chuckled. "So you've all joined a losing team. So I take it you all have names? Well in a matter of moments, your names won't matter. You'll all be dust anyway. And now…it's time for your final concert!"

"We're not going down without a fight, Etemon!" Joe said boldly. "Go get him, Gomamon!"

Etemon noticed that the DigiDestined did have ONE Digimon with them. It was the rookie Gomamon, who had Digivolved to defeat him last time. Gomamon rushed forward and got ready for a fight.

****Gomamon…Digivolve to…Ikkakumon!****

Gomamon had Digivolved, but Etemon would soon fix that. He held up his microphone. "And now for my first piece, it's an oldie but a goodie! A good old fashioned Concert Crush!"

The impulsive brown-haired boy who looked like Tai blinked. "You're gonna sing to us?"

TK covered his ears. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to hear your lousy singing again!"

"LOUSY?!" Etemon repeated angrily. "I'll show you LOUSY! Uh huh huh!"

Etemon brought the microphone to his lips as Ikkakumon began to charge forward. The music blared and Etemon began his old hit.

"Yeeeeeeeeeah, yeah! I'm the coolest cat there is and if you don't watch out…I'm gonna get you 'til you scream and shout! 'Cause I'm the hippest Digimon in town! Oh yeeeeeeeeeah…yeah!"

Ikkakumon was soon stopped in his tracks and before he could even launch an attack, the power of Etemon's Concert Crush had him devolving back into Gomamon. The rookie still looked like he had some fight left in him, so Etemon stomped on a nearby button.

Sure enough, a handy new feature emerged. A piece of the stage opened up, from which a fishing net sprang out and covered Gomamon. The rookie-level Digimon was unable to escape and without a Digimon on their side, the DigiDestined were now at Etemon's mercy.

Etemon stomped on another button. A series of wires expanded and shot into the sky, landing all around the area surrounding the DigiDestined. The wires created a net of electricity, leaving the DigiDestined trapped. Etemon stomped on another button and the net started closing in, threatening to fry those infernal humans upon contact.

"This is even better than the last time I had you like this!" Etemon cried triumphantly. "This time, there's NOTHING that can save you!"

Seeing they were all trapped, the twelve DigiDestined all huddled up closely. However, the net continued to close in, leaving less and less breathing room.

"How did you get here, Etemon?!" Tai demanded.

"A stroke of genius, if I do say so myself!" Etemon grinned, beginning the explanation. He figured they were done for anyway, so an explanation was in order so he could feed his ego. "I knew there had to be a way I could get my revenge on you little punks for destroying everything I had! You destroyed my Dark Network and because of you, I lost control of Server! I craved revenge! And that's when I saw…YOU TWO!" Etemon pointed at Kari and TK. "I saw you two walking through the Digital World without a care in the world, not knowing that I was watching your every move. And then…I saw you, the eighth child, prick yourself on a lone rose. You didn't think much of it, did you? Just pricking yourself on a lonely little rose. But for me, it was a chance at vengeance!

"So I took that blood sample…and with it…I created a clone of you! A clone that I took under my wing, slowly gaining her trust. Soon, I had her turned against all of you! Though I didn't account for NEW Digitwerps, it turned out that it didn't matter, because my plan ultimately succeeded. I succeeded in pulling a bait-and-switch, sending the clone here while the real thing was left behind in the Digital World. And once the clone was here, it was an easy matter of her finding a way to open a port to the Digital World and giving me the opportunity to come in!

"Now I have you right where I want you! You're all at my mercy! But don't think the revenge stops there! Oh no, no, no! You see, now that I'm here with my new stage, it'll be time for me to set up a NEW Dark Network…here in YOUR world! And I shall be this world's ruler and king, uh huh huh! I can see it now! Millions of pitiful humans bowing at my feet! Shrines of ME around every corner! And my music shall cover the land…with NIGHTLY concerts!"

"The people would rather stab their eardrums out than hear your so-called singing, Etemon!" Matt expressed indignantly.

"They'll have no choice but to LOVE my singing!" Etemon continued. "It's just a shame YOU won't be around to see what happens to your world!"

"Etemon?"

Etemon was in such an evil groove, he hated to be interrupted. But he noticed someone tugging at his arm. He turned his head…to see the clone, who looked confused...and hurt. Tears were coming down her cheeks.

"W-What's going on?" she asked timidly. "Etemon…what did you just say? Did you really say…I'm just a clone? I'm…not real?"

Etemon couldn't help but laugh out loud when he saw the clone's expression of sadness. "You are real. A real TOOL! But don't be sad, little lady. You played your part to the letter. I couldn't have risen to the top without the little people. Thanks…loser!"

Etemon put his hand to the clone and fiercely pushed her aside. He jumped off the stage and started walking towards the net, which was still closing in on the DigiDestined. This was his moment. It was time for him to savor it.

* * *

Having fallen off the stage, she rose to her feet. After weeks of confusion and uncertainty, she started to see clearly for the first time in her life. She finally had a reason for her fuzzy memory. It was all making sense to her now. But a cold hard fact hurt her more than any other.

She was **NOT** Kari Kamiya.

She was nothing more than a clone. She was just a tool of this evil, malicious monkey known as Etemon. The weeks of love and care were all nothing more than a ruse to gain her trust. The stories were all false. She was starting to see that now. She also saw that she unwittingly been a pawn to evil.

But now it was time to set things right.

The clone started running towards the gymnasium…looking for something she could use to set things right.

  


Next Time: The clone's looking for a way to make amends. Can she save the DigiDestined? Come back next time for the big finale!

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


	10. The End Of A Comeback...And More

Last Time: Davis opened up that port for Kari's clone and that paved the way for Etemon's invasion. After putting Gomamon out of commission with his Concert Crush and a net, Etemon has an electrical net surrounding the twelve DigiDestined. While the net closes in slowly, Etemon goes into his explanation about the BIG plan to take over the real world and reveals how he made the clone. The clone, now learning the truth, seeks to make things right.

  


**Double Play: Part 10**

  


Kari couldn't believe it was all about to end like this. Her prom night was supposed to be something truly special and unforgettable. Instead, she found herself in the midst of an electrical net that was closing in on her. Her life was moments away from coming to an unceremonious end.

Davis suddenly spoke up. "Guys…before we go…I want to say I'm sorry. This is all my fault! I never should have opened that port!"

Tai immediately stuck up for Davis. "Davis, this isn't your fault."

"None of us knew what was going on," TK added. He looked sadly at Kari. "None of us."

There was nothing left to do now but await the inevitable. Kari wanted to take her eyes off the annoying grin Etemon had on his face, but she couldn't stop staring hatefully at him. This wannabe Digital rock star had ruined her prom night. She desperately wished she had Gatomon here by her side to help her. But the only Digimon around was Gomamon and he was struggling in that fishing net.

"You know, something doesn't feel right," Etemon muttered. Then he smirked. "I know what this is missing! You need a going-away song!"

Ken immediately covered his ears. "Has his singing ALWAYS been this bad?"

"He sounds like my grandpa when he's passing a stone," Cody added.

"No, his singing's actually gotten WORSE since we last saw him!" Joe growled.

Etemon raised the microphone to his mouth. "Y………………"

Etemon's voice was cut off. No sound was coming out of the speakers. Etemon tapped the mic and got no feedback. That's when Kari and the other DigiDestined started to hear chopping.

Etemon had a look of horror on his face. "NO! What are you doing?!"

Kari looked over to see…that her clone had taken matters into her own hands. She had an axe in her hands. It was the axe from the gym that was behind glass in case of emergencies. She was using the axe to chop up the stage's black wires. And as she continued chopping, the electrical net surrounding the DigiDestined was starting to fade away. Seconds later, the electrical net was gone.

Davis triumphantly raised a fist in the air. "All right!"

The older DigiDestined immediately headed for the fishing net, looking to loosen Gomamon. But Etemon cut them off.

"You may be out of the net, but you won't get passed me! Dark Network!"

Etemon unleashed his Dark Network attack. The DigiDestined managed to disperse before the black ball of dark energy hit the ground. They had successfully managed to spread out, now running around in eight different directions. Meanwhile, the younger DigiDestined all huddled up by the truck.

Yolei shot the stage a cold stare. "If I had Hawkmon here, I'd make a banana split out of that monkey!"

"But the only Digimon here is Gomamon," Cody pointed out.

Kari suddenly got an idea. "Maybe not. Davis, do you still have your Digivice?"

Davis took out his Digivice. "Right here!"

Kari smirked. "Then let's call for backup!"

* * *

Tai kept running around, as everyone stayed spread out, giving Etemon multiple targets to chase after. If he wanted any of the DigiDestined, he'd have to take them out one at a time. Luckily, Etemon's aim hadn't gotten any better. His Dark Network attacks continued to miss. But unfortunately…

"Dark Network!"

The Dark Network attack hit right in Tai's path. Tai tripped and ended up landing hard on his ankle. It was the worst possible time for one of his chronic soccer injuries to act up. And when he looked up, Etemon was right in front of him.

"Looks like I finally have you where I want you!" Etemon grinned. "You don't know how much you've cost me! I've been waiting for this chance to take YOU out once and for all! Dark Network!"

Tai couldn't limp out of the way in time. The Dark Network attack was headed his way and he wouldn't be able to escape.

"TAI!"

Before Tai could even react, someone pushed him out of harm's way and took the brunt of the attack. At first, Tai thought it was Kari. But when he looked closer, he saw that it was actually Kari's clone. She took the lethal attack and fell to the ground. Etemon didn't dwell on the miscue at all and instead focused on Tai again. But before he could attack.

"Fist of the Beast King!"

A sudden attack hit Etemon from the side, knocking the big monkey over. Tai looked over and saw backup had arrived…in the form of Leomon, who was standing right next to Kari. Kari quickly ran over to tend to her brother.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"My ankle's sprained again," Tai moaned. Then he pointed at his lifesaver. "Leomon?"

"Luckily, I knew just where to find him," Kari explained. "I'll explain it to you later."

Etemon stood back up. "I will not be upstaged! This isn't any of your business! You weren't scheduled to appear!"

"Kari's a good friend of mine," Leomon countered. "And I won't let you come in and take over her home and do away with her friends!"

"You actually think you can take me in a one-on-one fight?" Etemon scoffed. "I do my best work against solo acts."

"Then let's make this a duet."

Tai and Kari looked over to see that not only had Gomamon been set free, but he had Digivolved into Ikkakumon. But he wasn't finished yet.

****Ikkakumon…Digivolve to…Zudomon!****

Now Etemon found himself outnumbered. But he wasn't ready to go down without a fight.

* * *

After closing that port to the Digital World, Davis put his Digivice away. But he suddenly noticed that Ken had HIS Digivice out. He had a solemn look on his face as he stared at his Digivice.

"Ken, what's the matter?"

"Davis, think about it. If Tai and others defeated Etemon a long time ago and he just reconfigured, then that means even if we DO beat him, he can just keep coming back. We may never truly be rid of him."

"We'll worry about him the next time he gets reconfigured," Davis suggested.

"That may not be good enough," Ken argued. "Davis, look at all the damage Etemon's caused through his plan. Look at what he did to Kari and TK and YOU! Look how close he came to killing us! We have to get rid of Etemon once and for all!"

"But how?"

Ken looked at Davis solemnly. Davis recognized that look and he was suitably horrified.

"Ken, NO! You can't!"

"It has to be done," Ken said gravely. "It's the only TRUE way to get rid of Etemon for good."

"But…are you sure you can do it?"

Ken sighed deeply. "There's only one way to find out."

* * *

Kari kept looking on. At this point, the original eight DigiDestined had gathered together and watched as the fight between Etemon and Leomon and Zudomon continued. Etemon wasn't ready to go down and even the combined forces of Leomon and Zudomon couldn't knock the ultimate-level monkey out. But he was finally starting to tire. Leomon unleashed one more attack.

"Fist of the Beast King!"

Leomon's mighty attack, sent Etemon down to his knees and Zudomon looked ready to finish the job. But to everyone's surprise, Etemon only started laughing.

"Go ahead and finish me, but the king can never die. You can delay my comeback, but the tour can never truly stop! The hits will just keep on coming! And someday your luck will run out!"

"You're not coming back!" another voice called out.

Kari and the other seven looked over to see that Ken was standing alone, bravely holding out his Digivice. He had a familiar look on his face…one Kari had seen before.

"He's not gonna do what I think he is, is he?" TK asked.

Kari gulped. "It looks like it. Ken, NO! Don't do it!"

Ken didn't listen. He closed his eyes as his Digivice began to open a port to the Digital World. But just as there was six years ago, a dark speck was visible. Ken was tapping into his dark side…and opening up a port to the Dark Ocean, the one place that would be able to contain an evil like Etemon.

Etemon saw what was happening. "NO! Not there! There's no audience in there! Have mercy!"

Ken kept his eyes closed and he was visibly sweating. This was obviously opening up old wounds for him. But he kept his focus as the portal to the Dark Ocean grew wider until it was big enough to fit a certain monkey. Etemon tried to lunge towards Ken, but Zudomon delivered the final blow.

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

Zudomon's Vulcan's Hammer attack struck Etemon and sent him stumbling back…

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Don't be cruel!!"

…until he fell through the portal. Ken opened his eyes and the portal closed. After his work was done, Ken fell to his knees. It was all over. As quickly as it had started, it ended. Etemon was gone. This time, for good.

Davis walked up to Ken. "Are you ok?"

Ken nodded and gave an affirmative smile. "I'm…ok."

Davis then looked over another way and gasped. "NO!"

Davis left Ken and started running another way. Kari turned to see where he was running.

Davis was running towards the fallen clone.

* * *

Davis fell to his knees and put his arms around the fallen clone. Her dress was tattered and her body was covered in deep cuts and wounds. She was just about red all over.

Davis could barely utter the words. "What happened?"

"I…made things right," the clone said softly. "Etemon…was aiming for Tai. I…pushed him…out of the way. Davis……I'm dying."

"NO! Don't say that! You're going to be fine!"

"Davis…it's over. I'm not going to make it. And…it's not like it matters. I'm…just a clone, anyway."

Tears were streaming down Davis's cheeks. "I don't care if you're a clone! I still care about you!"

The clone smiled. "I care about you too. But…I'm not real, Davis. I'm a fake. I'm just some…thing Etemon made out of DNA and data. I'm not the real Kari. I don't belong."

Davis was left speechless, just choking on his tears.

"But…I want to thank you," the clone said with one more gasp. "Thank you for caring about me. Believe me...you were the only one who really did. I…love you."

"I…love you, too."

In that spontaneous moment, Davis and Kari's clone locked in a deep kiss. But as the kiss lingered…Davis started to feel her fade away. In seconds, the clone was slowly pixilating away. And soon…the kiss was broken…because there was nothing left.

The clone was gone.

Davis looked to the sky and just let out an agonized scream.

* * *

Yolei walked up to Ken, who was obviously looking a little disturbed. Despite what the former Digimon Emperor told Davis, Yolei could tell something was bothering him.

"Ken…are you ok?" the concerned Yolei asked.

Ken nodded. "I'm getting better at dealing with my dark side. I was just hoping I wouldn't have to face it again."

"I hope you never have to face it again," Yolei said comfortingly.

"Me too," Ken smiled.

Upon looking at Ken, who had once again risked everything by facing his inner demons one more time in order to save his friends, Yolei was reminded of what she saw in him. He selflessly risked himself to save everyone.

Yolei soon found herself blushing. "That was really brave of you." 

Ken blushed back. "Y-Y-You think so?" 

Rather than answer that, Yolei suddenly got an idea. "Cody!"

Cody walked over, with the video camera still in his hand.

Yolei smiled. "Get this on tape!"

After issuing that order, Yolei made Ken's worries go away with a deep kiss. And of course, Cody got it all on tape. It hadn't been the ideal prom night by any stretch of the imagination. Yolei didn't exactly picture an evil Digimon infiltrating the real world and nearly killing them all as her ideal prom night. But now that it was over, Yolei wanted to end it on a high note.

* * *

The night had just about ended. Leomon and Gomamon went back to the Digital World. The DigiDestined all went home…with the exception of Kari and Tai. They were both heading home…along with TK. After a long walk, especially for Tai who was limping on a sprained ankle, they were finally home. Tai went inside, obviously looking for some ice, but Kari and TK stayed outside on the front porch.

"It's been a pretty long night," TK sighed. "Believe me, this wasn't my ideal prom night. But there is one good thing that came out of it. I feel a lot better knowing that you really didn't kiss Davis." He put his hands on Kari's shoulders as she had his back to him. "I guess I should have known better than to think you would ever do something like that. I'm sorry for the things I said yesterday, Kari."

Kari closed her eyes, standing there with a solemn look on her face. This wouldn't be an easy thing for her to do, but she felt like it had to be done.

"Get your hands off me."

TK slowly took his hands off Kari's shoulder. Kari turned around to see that he had a look of confusion on his face.

Kari came right out and said it. "I can't see you anymore."

TK looked completely stunned. "W-What?"

"I can't see you anymore."

"W-Why? Kari…I know you really didn't kiss Davis. I know it was just a misunderstanding. And I said I was sorry. So...doesn't that mean we can go back to the way things were?"

Kari couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I can't believe you. You honestly think that after all this, we can go back to the way things were? As if nothing ever happened?" 

TK nodded uneasily. "Well...............yeah. Why not?"

Kari shook her head. "You don't get it, do you? You really don't. TK…you don't know how much you hurt me yesterday. It wasn't just the words you said. It was the meaning. TK…we've been together for so many years…yet when I told you the truth...when I told you that I didn't kiss Davis, when I told you that I would NEVER hurt you in that way, when I told you that you were the only one for me, the love of my life…you didn't believe me. I can't believe that after so long, after ALL these years that we've been together through thick and thin, facing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that came our way together, after so many years of being best friends and eventually more, after ALL THAT…you don't trust me."

A cold, harsh reality seemed to hit TK. Only now did it appear that he realized just how much damage he had caused through his accusations and jealousy. It looked like he was finally starting to see clearly now, but for Kari it was far too late.

After a long silence, TK finally spoke again. "Kari…I DO trust you! I'm sorry I didn't believe you! I trust you now!"

Kari shook her head again. "I'm afraid it's too late for that. I'm sorry…but this isn't a case where I can just forgive and forget. I can NEVER forget this, and...it may just be something I can never forgive. I will NOT be in love with someone who doesn't trust me! And...it pains me to say this...but I'm afraid I can't even be FRIENDS with someone who doesn't trust me."

TK had an indescribable look of horror on his face. It was as if someone had plunged into his chest and ripped his heart out. It was as if someone had taken the very essence of his soul. To say he was devastated would be the ultimate understatement.

"Kari…I…"

Kari was forcibly holding back tears. "Don't…make this any harder than it already is!" She leaned over…and kissed TK on the cheek…for the last time. "Goodbye, Takeru. Maybe someday…we can be friends again."

Those last words were the hardest for Kari to say, but they had to be said. After the things TK said to her, it was evident that he didn't trust her. A relationship without trust wouldn't work. And such a problem wouldn't just go away instantly. A deep wound had been opened and there was no easy way to stop the bleeding. Kari's solution…was to just cut the limb off completely.

Having done what she had to do, Kari closed her eyes and turned her back on TK. She slowly turned the doorknob and walked into her house without looking back, leaving her now ex-boyfriend on the porch.

TK had been her boyfriend for over five years. He had been her best friend for even longer. But in one night…

…he was nothing.

Kari knew that her life had now changed. She'd wake up the next morning…knowing that she'd be all alone.

* * *

Davis looked out the window one more time. He couldn't sleep on this night. Everything had been so intense. These last few days had been so confusing. He had felt every possible emotion in these last few days…including one he hadn't felt in years.

Davis had been in love again.

Being around the clone brought back lost feelings. Ever since Kari first got together with TK, Davis tried to push his feelings for her aside. And for the most part, it worked. He had been Kari and TK's biggest supporter. After a while, he no longer felt a romantic love for Kari.

Then the clone came into his life. And even though it wasn't the real Kari…she brought back old feelings that Davis had. He was feeling that love for the real Kari again. And he even began to feel happy…thinking Kari had really fallen for him. But it was nothing more than a hoax put on by an evil Digimon.

Davis sighed deeply again. For all he knew, Kari and TK were back together. And once again…he'd have to try and push his feelings for Kari Kamiya aside and be happy for them. But after the last few days…

…he wondered if that was even possible.

* * *

TK looked out the window one more time. He didn't even try to go to sleep on this night. He knew it'd just be a futile gesture to even try. After the loss TK just experienced…he didn't know if anything was worth trying anymore.

He once said that if he ever lost Kari, his world would collapse. So far…it has. Because of Etemon's charade, TK had lost Kari...and his world had fallen apart.

_Another turning point_

A fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist

Directs you where to go

Then he came to senses. TK realized that he had no one to blame but himself. He was the one that thought he saw Kari kissing Davis. And when Kari told him he didn't, he was the one that didn't believe her. He was the one that didn't have faith in Kari. He was the one that didn't trust her. TK knew it wasn't Davis's fault, the clone's fault, or even Etemon's fault. It was HIS fault that this breakup happened.

_So make the best of this test_

And don't ask why

It's not a question

But a lesson learned in time

And now it was too late to make amends. Not only had TK lost the love of his life, but he also lost the best friend he had ever had. TK truly felt…alone. Prom night was supposed to be a special night. Instead, it turned out to be the worst night of TK's life.

_It's something unpredictable_

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

TK looked out the window one more time, looking out into the bright lights of Odaiba, and said one thing.

"Please forgive me, Kari."

* * *

Kari was lying on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. Instead, she was thinking about what happened tonight on her front porch. It continued to linger in her mind, the scene replaying itself over and over again in slow motion.

_So take the photographs_

And still frames in your mind

Hang it on a shelf

In good health and good time

It was hard to believe, but it was over. The longest and most fulfilling relationship Kari had ever had…was over. She had done her best to hold back tears while she was around TK. She tried to convince herself that this was the right thing to do. Yet the tears were still coming down her cheeks and falling on her pillow.

_Tattoos of memories_

And dead skin on trial

For what it's worth

It was worth all the while

Kari was hurt all over. She knew she couldn't be with TK anymore if he didn't trust her. Yet letting him go was the hardest thing she had ever done. This was supposed to be her prom night. It was supposed to be special. But it turned out to be a nightmare.

_It's something unpredictable_

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

Kari could only wonder now how she'd move on with her life. Not only had she broken up with her boyfriend…but she had also lost her best friend. She had never been short on friends, but TK was different. He was...special. He was always a different kind of friend. He was always the first one she'd rely on. He knew her better than anybody. He was always there for her. And now he was gone. That weighed in heavily on her heart. She had never felt so alone.

_It's something unpredictable_

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

Kari sat up and walked towards the window. She sat by the windowsill and looked out into the bright lights of Odaiba. Kari's cat, Miko, slowly wandered over and placed himself on Kari's lap. Kari hardly noticed, as she looked out into the city, knowing TK was out there somewhere. With tears in her eyes, she said one more thing.

_It's something unpredictable_

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

"Goodbye…sweet Takeru."

  


**THE END**

  


Author's Note: I guess it is a pretty sad ending, but it does answer the question of how TK and Kari broke up. And it also answers the question of why things were so awkward between the two in "Keeping Secrets". Readers, you go ahead and make the call. Was this breakup justifiable or just a misunderstanding? "Double Play" is a very important story, as its events will pop up from time to time in Digimon: The College Years. Sorry to end the story like this, Takari fans. But as you read through Digimon: The College Years, remember…never say never.

  


Any comments? Then mail at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


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